Black Dragon
by Brother-Sergeant Rafen
Summary: Ashen Jade arises from the darkness, and with it the spark of hope. But life is such a fragile thing, easily extinguished by a sudden onslaught of darkness. BlakexRen, with Arkos thrown in for good measure. I reject your ships, and substitute my own. No major OC's, although characters may be a little OOC at times. Somewhat AU. Act I is complete! Chapter 13 is up!
1. Act I: The Black Descent

_**Black Dragon**_

Act I: _The Black Descent_

_Ashen jade rises from the darkness, glowing with the light of life. A spark appears, one that signifies hope. A hope for change. A hope for life. A hope for survival. And, perhaps…a hope for love. So create your monuments to your sins. For even statues have feet of clay, and nothing lasts forever. Errors can be erased, transgressions forgiven. In the end, only life endures, and with it hope. Make no mistake, for when all is dust, all that remains are decisions. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. All it takes is a single spark to ignite the inferno, and it is one that shall burn forevermore. Black and green. Death and Life. So different, yet at the same time both the same. For life leads to death leads to life leads to death. And that same spark of hope is what powers the endless wheel of life and death. Armies win battles, yet faith wins wars. Faith in a better tomorrow, no matter how uncertain. _

_Ashen jade arises from the darkness, and hope is all that remains._


	2. Opening Day

**Black Dragon**

**Opening Day**

**HIM**

I soar through the air. Free. I feel the air rushing past me, my shirt billowing in the wind. My dragons are safely stowed in their holsters, buckled to my belt. My arms outstretched, I claw for lift. For a moment, it seems as though I'm flying. My shirt's loose fabric acts like a pair of wings, helping me cut through the sky. Then, it hits me.

Or rather, _she_ hits me.

"HAI REN! OOPS SORRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY"

"Goddamnit Nora…" I whisper under my breath. But it's too late. She goes flying off in more-or-less the same path she was taking, while I get knocked far off-course. On the bright side, if I land too far away, I might not be forced to pair up with her. Ugh. I swear, if she wasn't like a sister to me, I'd kill her. But we knew each other since childhood, so I put up with her endless chattering. She's pretty good with that hammer of hers, though it sometimes scares me how strong she is.

None of that matters right now, though, because a rather large tree is approaching at a speed _way_ too fast for my health. I try in vain to reduce my speed, to try and increase my drag. Nope. I smack myself into the highest branch, hanging on by my left hand. Then, I see it. There's branches all around this tree, but they go in concentric rings around it. If I can aim it just right…

I take out my beautiful dragons, their green blades shimmering in the sunlight. I dig the blade of one into the tree, my right gun hanging loose by my side. Well, here goes nothing…

I let go of the branch, grabbing the second dragon as I do so. The blades on both dig deep into the trunk, slowing my fall. About a metre below me, there's a pretty large branch that I'd rather avoid. I kick out my legs to the left, the momentum changing my direction as I descend into a spiral. The branches whip by me now, as gravity takes its toll and speeds my fall. Under me, I see a lone Beowolf. It lifts its leg up as it enters my view and…oh gods. I did _not _need to see that.

I release about two metres above the Beowolf, doing my best to ignore the faint *_tinkle_* splashing against the tree. I slam into it feet first, knocking it to the ground as my pistols fall towards my outstretched hands. As it attempts to recover, I give it no chance. Its mouth forms into a snarl, only for it to be greeted by a spray of green bullets.

I land, knees bent and pistols holstered as the Beowolf's headless body crashes to the ground. Brushing a bit of fur off of my suit, a howl resounds through the forest. Shit. Beowolves always travel in packs…there must be more. Quickly, I sprint north, weaving through trees without much thought.

After a while, it seems as though the coast is clear. There's a conspicuous absence of howls/explosions, so Nora's probably not here. Not much else either, though, so perhaps I'm farthest ahead? I take a moment to rest against a tree, admiring the peaceful scenery.

All there is as far as the eye can see is a sea of emerald, making this forest's name fitting. Somewhere in the distance a flock of birds sings a sweet melody, though I can faintly here the haunting cry of a Nevermore. Wonderful reference, that. From the poem by Poe _'Quoth the raven: nevermore'_. Sadly though, it seems as though I'm the only one in the damn academy that gets it. I snap back to reality as the birds suddenly go silent. The Nevermore was too far off to be a threat, so there's bound to be something else.

I wait intensely, both hands on my dragons and ready to leap into action. Perhaps I'm just being paranoid? Maybe, and I start to relax. Note the _start_. The trees immediately in front of me explode, the menacing form of a King Taijitu appearing in the debris. Wonderful. Now, if I remember correctly, the black one generally attacks first. That means I have less than a minute before the white one shows up to kill me to kill this snake.

My dragons are out of their holsters and in my hands before I know it, spitting rage and defiance at the Taijitu. It rears back and hisses in fury in response, lunging towards me almost too quickly to see. I manage to dive to the left just in time, firing short controlled bursts to maintain accuracy. None of my shots manage to penetrate its thick hide, though. That's what I get for choosing a pair of machine pistols, but at least I didn't use the silencers yet. I try to hit it in an eye, the bolts of energy searing the scales around it but none hitting their mark. It tries and lunges again, and I jump up so I land on its head. Without thinking, I jab the blades of my dragons into it and hold on for dear life.

The Grimm does its best to dislodge me, but somehow I manage to stay intact. Seeing a low-hanging branch just ahead, I sheathe my pistols and make a leap of faith. I nearly miss, grabbing on with one hand and firing with the other. The Taijitu's white tail passes under me, and I release. Whew. Glad that was over.

Or at least, I thought it was. I feel a searing pain in my back as something heavy knocks me into a tree, though thankfully my aura dulled the impact. Scrambling to my feet, I am confronted by the White Taijitu. I can see its counterpart circling in the trees to my right, but my attention is drawn back to the present danger. It lunges at me and I dodge, too late. I escape serious harm, but my Jade Dragons get knocked out of my hands a few metres away. _Fuck._ At that moment the black one chooses to strike, its gaping maw greeting my stunned face. I brace myself for the end, resolving to die with honour…

**Her**

Ugh. I hate flying. You're so…open and visible in the air, totally unlike my preferred _modus operandi_. As that Schnee girl gets launched, I start to have second thoughts. Perhaps…this wasn't the best idea? No. I want this. I _need_ this. Some others get launched, and out of the corner of my eye I can see the Arc boy nervously fidgeting. Maybe he's just as clueless as I am? Scratch that. He's even worse. At least I know what I'm doing…ish. No time for more thoughts, as the springboard underneath me sends me soaring. I try and use my shroud as a parachute, slowing my flight enough so that I start to gently drift to the ground.

The cloth catches on a tree, and I retract it just before I get jarred to a stop. I drop the last ten or so metres, landing quietly on the balls of my feet. Above, I can see the others rushing past, with Arc screaming for dear life. Well, it's good to know there's _someone_ out there who also hates flying. All is still around me, the forest eerily silent. Taking no chances, I stick to the shadows. Night falls fast in the forest, and the darkness is my home.

I sprint from bush to bush, never stopping for more than a moment. Occasionally I hear the sound of gunfire, but it's never close enough to warrant my attention. Personally, I don't really want to get partnered up until I have to. Might as well make sure the person you're spending four years with is good at what they do, right? So I keep running, keeping a wary eye out for Grimm. I stumble upon the headless corpse of a Beowolf by a tree, its face blown off by a hail of energy. The tree itself is scratched, as if by a pair of blades.

Huh. It looks like the wolf got surprised, too. Not too many people I know who can do that, myself included. A potential partner? Perhaps. I need more information. I keep moving, my internal compass leading me north. The roar of an Ursa prompts me to scramble up a tree, trying to get a better view.

Ignoring the scratches that I get from the branches, my hard work is rewarded. I see the yellow chick, Yang I think, trading punches with an Ursa. And winning. However, I notice a second bear sneaking up on her from behind. One surprise swipe from that, and she'd be finished.

I leap from limb to limb, keeping Gambol Shroud held loosely in my hand. Just as the Ursa is about to leap, I descend upon it from the shadows. One quick slash from the sheathe to wound it, a silenced gunshot to blind it, and an overhead swing to decapitate it. The Grimm's headless body falls just as Yang gives the other a gut full of buckshot. I can't help but wince, but I'm gone before the corpse even nears the ground.

Yang's good, but she's too impulsive. She'd give away my team's position long before we'd be ready, and that's not something I can afford. I give her a slight nod of respect, though, as her fighting skills are indeed impressive. I get the impression that she would be simply confused by my kill, but I honestly don't care.

I keep moving, staying in the dark. In the distance, I hear the shrill cry of a Nevermore. The name itself is a neat reference to Poe's _The Raven_, not like anyone else in this academy would know. Too combat-oriented the lot of them, probably turned their brains into just another muscle. Well, I do have to spend my tenure here with them, so might as well get to like *some* of them.

Back to running through the forest, finding signs of a massive Grimm while I'm at it. The gunfire starts up again, followed by a hiss of rage. Intrigued, I get closer. I crouch on a branch, sighting a black King Taijitu. The black ones are easy enough to dispatch, but it's the white ones you've got to worry about. The ashen scales of this one are pockmarked with little holes, a sure sign of small-arms fire. Most people in this academy tend to go for overkill, so that crosses out Ruby, Yang, and that crazy hammer girl. Not many cut marks, so probably not Schnee. No dead/screaming and about-to-be-dead boy, so definitely not Arc. Pyrrha? Maybe, but I doubt it. She'd probably finish it off long before I arrived.

Whoever it is, they're in big trouble. The snake rears back, ready for another strike. Just before it hits, I whip out Gambol Shroud and fire off a few pistol shots at its eyes. One hits, and the snake is distracted long enough for the figure to get away. But now I have problems of my own, as the white Taijitu was attracted by my gunfire. The tree I'm on starts shuddering, and I manage to jump off just before it gives way to the Grimm.

My shroud whips out of its own accord, the blade whirling about as it scores the white scales. It responds with outrage, whipping its head towards me in an attempt to cease the pain. I dodge, firing point-blank into its eyes. One is successfully blinded, the head turning as the other tries to keep me in sight. I laugh as I jump back, only to be cut short when the python's tail impacts my back. My aura takes the brunt of the blow, but I know I won't last long under that.

I climb to my feet, having been knocked into collapsed bush. The meagre sunlight is blocked out by a mouth full of fangs, the snake rearing back yet again. Bad move. Now that I'm in the darkness, it doesn't stand a chance. I duck to the left, leaving an afterimage that a pair of fangs sinks into, past, and sheathing themselves in the dirt. As the Taijitu tries in vain to recover, I offer it no respite. A slash at the blinded eye to pain it, a shot in the nostrils to anger it, and a stab from my katana to drive it into a frenzy.

Steam escapes the wounded eye, somehow, as the snake manages to extricate itself from its position. Minus its fangs, however, which stay lodged in the ground. It tries to bite me yet again, but this time I'm ready. Two slashes at the tongue to draw Grimm blood, a shot at the back of the throat to keep its mouth open, and a quick upward stab with the katana to penetrate its braincase and kill it for good. I withdraw and sheathe my blade, leaping away as its head crashes to the ground.

Unfortunately, I fail to notice the second Taijitu creeping up on me. One moment I'm on the ground, the next I'm tossed up into the air and about to become snake food. Yet more reason to justify my hatred of flying, though I don't have much time left to contemplate it. I'm about to meet my end, until—a flying blur of green rams into me and changes my course, sending me soaring away from the snake's ugly maw. I catch sight of a severed fang impaling the black Taijitu's eye, killing it, but I'm plummeting too quickly to enjoy the sight.

I used up too much aura killing the other one, and I know that I won't survive this fall. My saviour, however, has other ideas. Another streak of green and pink below me, and I land in the arms of…oh god. I feel my cheeks burning, and I desperately try to cool them off.

He's gorgeous. Green suit, white pants, messy hair with a streak of pink, pink cuffs, black and gold trim, pink (!) eyes, and a pair of holstered machine pistols.

"_Hey."_

I nearly faint right then and there. That voice. I swear…he's perfect. I want to be with him, to marry him, to have kids with him, and to—goddammit Blake. That's _Ninjas of Love_ speaking right there. He's just a fellow student, I don't love him, and I just have to spend four years of my life with him, and…Shit. I'm in love.


	3. A Morte Perpetua

**Black Dragon**

Chapter 2:_ A Morte Perpetua_

"_Ashen Jade arises from the darkness, bringing with it a shining beacon of hope, and perhaps most of all…peace."-Romance of the Four Kingdoms_

**HIM**

Death seemed to linger over me, taking the form of a black King Taijitu. Yet somehow, the crop of my life was saved from the scythe—at least for now—my saviour taking the form of a short volley of bullets. Short, sharp, and near-silent. Small-calibre, low-velocity, silenced. Not Nora, then, thank the ancestors. Not anyone I know, for that matter. …Wow. I need a social life.

Nonetheless, the timely intervention distracts the thing long enough for me to jump to the side. Its mouth clamps shut on empty air, as I land in a roll and recover my dragons. A flurry of shots damages an eye, my target practice finally paying off. Out of the corner of my eye, the white Taijitu writhes in outrage. My guardian angel busy at work, clearly. I nod slightly in respect as I face off with the Grimm, warily circling around it as it did the same for me.

I holster my pistols and jump up as it lunges forwards, kicking its head to one side as I grab a branch. Swinging my feet up, I use the momentum to dodge yet another bite. Its third try succeeds, however, and I find myself facing imminent death yet again. Praying silently and cursing loudly, I manage to use my hands to stop its fangs from closing on me. I strengthen what's left of my aura, giving myself the power to pause my death.

The snake's mouth attempts to shut, but my dust-enhanced strength manages to halt it for now. _Remove the head, the tail ceases to function. Remove the teeth, the body ceases to function._ The quote leaps unbidden to my mind, and inspiration strikes. I kick down at the Grimm's lower jaw in an attempt to seek more leverage. The snake defies me, its mouth even closing a fraction of an inch. Perfect.

My hands grip around its fangs, my aura multiplying my force tenfold. The fangs break off easily, leaving bleeding gums and a hiss of indignation. I give it no time to react, spinning one tooth into an assassin's grip and slamming it into an eye. I charge the fang with my aura, but before it blows I see my saviour being tossed into the air by the Grimm's dying throes. I think quickly, digging my boots into the ground and making a dust-enhanced jump.

I rebound off a tree feet-first, calculating trajectories on the fly. Before the figure becomes Grimm bait, I kick off and slam into the falling silhouette. I halt my flight, falling quickly and stopping long enough to set off the aura charge. The fang and the Taijitu's head explode in a shower of green sparks, but I take no time to enjoy my handiwork.

I sprint off, the numbers soaring through my head. I manage to position myself just in time, catching her—and she was indeed a her—in a bridal carry. A pair of lovely amber eyes looks my face over, her cheeks exploding in a burst of red blush.

"Hey."

She looks as though she wants to faint for a moment, but she quickly recovers.

"I'm Ren. Lie Ren." I add, trying to break the awkward silence.

"B-b-Blake. Blake Belladonna. Er…I guess we're partners now?"

Damn. That was, dare I say, _cute_.

"For the next four years, yeah."

She blushes again. I swear, I can't take much more of this.

"Um…you can let me down now…if you want to."

Wow. Smooth.

"Right. Sorry." I let her down slowly, never once taking my eyes off of hers. "So, um…what school did you come from before Beacon?"

She hesitates for a moment. Not visibly, but I catch it.

"Uh…Signal. Yeah, Signal. How about you?"

_Yeah. Right. _Well, might as well mess with her a little. I know little about her, but I can tell she's lying straight off the bat. Perhaps a darker past that she'd rather not reveal? I decide to respect her privacy, but I can't resist just a little bit of fun.

"Same here. Say, I didn't see you at Signal. What class were you in?" I deadpan, doing my best not to laugh as she blushes and stammers.

"Er…I was really quiet, but I was in Qrow's class. I think I saw you once or twice, but I'm not surprised you didn't notice me."

Well, that was a pretty good recovery. Probably would have fooled most people, but I can see the signs. Still, one of the best I've seen. She's clearly lying, of course, but then again so am I. We all have our pasts, and sometimes don't want to share. I respect that, mainly because it's the same for me.

"I am. It's pretty hard not to notice such a lovely girl…"

She blushes even harder, and here's the kicker: she _bites her lip_. Do you have any idea how adorable it is when a girl does that? DAMN. Good to know I've still got the moves, too. I kinda had a reputation as a lady's man, but that was before I met Nora. Ugh, the sheer amount of cockblocking from her was incredible…especially because she…er…_swung the other way_, so to speak.

We are interrupted, sadly, by Pyrrha Nikos and some blond kid bursting out from the bushes, breathing heavily and in the case of the blond, wheezing. I'm about to ask them what's wrong, but then I hear a faint, haunting cry from above. _Shit._

"Quoth the raven…"

"Nevermore!" Blake finishes my sentence, prompting me to give her a pleasantly surprised stare. Not many people get that reference, and honestly I'm impressed. Not that I have much time to be, though. Blake is already sprinting away, with me close on her heels. I hear the blond kid start moaning as Pyrrha resumes her pace, but soon I hear the sound of two pairs of feet pounding the ground behind me.

Honestly, I fail to see why she chose him as her partner. From what I saw, he's pretty much useless. Pyrrha's spear was already dripping Grimm blood, but the kid? Nothing aside from a scratch on his shield and a javelin-shaped hole through his hoodie. But so long as he doesn't get us all killed, I won't question her judgement. Perhaps he'll have some use as ablative armour?

My musing is nearly proved right, as a razor-sharp feather glances off his shield. Lucky, as the thing should probably have severed his head. He screams wildly, but keeps running. We split up somewhere along the way, the first I know of it is the sudden lack of frantic screaming.

I somehow manage to lose Blake in the undergrowth, but thankfully lost the Nevermore as well. The bird's probably off looking for less…feisty prey, but as for my partner? No sign. _Sigh_. I take a breather, leaning against a tree for a moment. No doubt she'll be back…I hope.

The forest is so peaceful, yet again. This time, I can hear the birds singing, and they show no signs of stopping. The Nevermore can still be heard, but it's probably on the other side of the forest by now. Still no explosions, which is always a good thing. Then I hear a deafening howl. Beowolves, and a pack of them. They're not too far off, and judging by the racket up ahead, only a few hundred metres away.

My dragons slip into my hands, and before I know it I'm dashing off again. Getting closer, I hear the sound of suppressed weapons fire. Definitely Blake, then. Though…it seems as though she took care of the problem on her own. Fur, Beowolves, and parts of Beowolves litter the ground, puddles of acrid blood intermixed. Blake stands in the middle of it all, like a dark angel of devastation. There's naught but a single droplet of blood on her, the pistol/chain scythe she wields hanging loosely in her hand. Her back is facing me, and I suddenly know why.

A single large Deathstalker is menacing her, its massive golden stinger poised to deliver the killing blow. Why doesn't she move? Can't she see she's going to die? The answer fails to come to mind, as the Grimm's tail begins to descend. My heart leaps into my throat as I throw myself forward, firing my twin pistols as I try to distract it. A chance shot into a joint throws it off for a moment, long enough for me to tackle the girl to the side just as the stinger digs itself into the dirt. We just lie there for a moment, and that's long enough. Her beautiful golden eyes are wide and unblinking with fear, her body shivering in fright.

Steeling my nerves, I stand back up.

"HEY FUCKTARD! OVER HERE!" …Okay, I didn't really say that. I wish I did, though. It'd probably have sounded much more badass than what I actually yelled, which was "I FREAKING HATE SCORPIONS!" Not the worst battle cry ever, but not exactly the best either.

My dragons leap back into my hands, spraying impotent green fury. Seriously, why do these things have such terrible penetration? Ugh. Sometimes I don't even think. The shots ricochet off the Grimm's thick exoskeleton, distracting it but not doing any other lasting damage. A pincer sweeps in across from the right, and I jump up in an attempt to dodge it. Big mistake. The left pincer knocks me out of the air and into a tree, winding me but not doing much lasting damage. My aura is weakened slightly though, and it appears to sense that. Moving much faster than an overgrown scorpion has any right to, the Deathstalker is almost upon me before I manage to roll away.

It slowly turns, its multiple legs slightly tripping it up as it moves. _Aha. A weakness?_ Perhaps. I file that little tidbit in my mind's _Important_ folder before taking advantage of it. I dig my feet into the ground before pushing off, soaring through the air before landing roughly on its shell. I use my aura to strengthen me yet again, driving my dragons' blades into a leg joint. I'm rewarded by a gush of black ichor, the viscous liquid spurting out like an exploding sewage pipe. Encouraged, I stab the claw arms this time. I'm rejected, my blades glancing off the toughened skin.

"Oh." I have time for a single quick word before the Deathstalker rams head-first into another tree, jolting me off its back. I use the momentum from the fall to my advantage, swinging around a low-hanging branch once, twice, then releasing. I land next to my partner, who seems to have recovered from her earlier paralysis. She tries to stand, her knees buckling after a moment. I sigh, then glance quickly back at the Grimm. I don't know, but I'm pretty sure someone out there is just throwing …opportunities… at me. Not that I'm complaining, of course.

I sweep up Blake into another bridal carry, taking care not to strain her too much. The Deathstalker still in the process of a slow, painful turn, I begin to sprint away. I ignore my throbbing arms as much as I can, focusing instead on a point directly in front of me. …Okay, that's a lie. I'm focusing more on the beauty in my arms, those perfect amber eyes staring at me again. My breathing is a little too laboured to try yet another pickup line out though, so I just try to put as much space between us and the Grimm.

After a few aching moments of running, the sound of crushed undergrowth begins to diminish. Safe at last, I slow my pace by just a fraction. I push my way through the bushes, following the sound of the birds and my inner compass. Fifty steps north, two west, and a dozen more to the north again. Satisfied, I move aside a stray branch to be greeted by a score of dilapidated stone pedestals. Atop them lie the aforementioned relics, golden and black chess pieces by the look of them.

_Make no mistake, for when all is dust, all that remains are decisions._ The line rises to the top of my mental lake, the words echoing throughout my mind. My favourite line from _Ashen Jade_, a poem by some 16th century poet named Tzun-Shi. So. Decisions, decisions. Which to pick? The pieces all seem to have a deeper meaning to them, at least that's what I got from the headmaster.

I'm interrupted from my reverie by a sweet, soft voice.

"Um, I know this is becoming a habit, but…you can put me down again, if you want…"

Oh. Right. I set Blake down, blushing furiously as I think of a good comeback.

"Arachnophobia, eh?"

She blinks once then nods frantically, eyes scanning back and forth as if searching for the aforementioned bugs.

"Haha, don't worry. Same here, though not as severe as yours, I reckon. You okay?"

"Fine. Just…don't mention the s-words near me…"

It takes me a moment to process that, but I nod. "Got it. So…now that we've made it to the temple…decision time."

She tilts her head in agreement, taking a few paces towards the pedestals. She peruses them, amber eyes looking them over as I, well…look her over. Hey! In my defence, I'm still a male. And judging by her...well. Guess I'm gonna have to try pretty hard for her. A black bow, in the shape of cat ears, sits atop her raven-coloured and near-waist-length hair. _Stunning_ golden eyes, black-and-white dress, violet stockings, and low-heeled boots, also in black. Just the way she moves is amazing, almost cat-like in grace.

A mysterious girl with a mysterious past, all in all, but who am I to judge? She turns her level gaze back onto me, and I'm rendered speechless for the first time in ages. She's…beautiful. I know I seem pretty shallow, but still. I'm going to be spending at least four years of my life with her, but…I can't seem but to wish, to _hope_ for more time.

Nora's gonna kill me, but…I think I'm in love.

**HER**

I rush away from Ren and the others, trying desperately to hold back tears. Ren's questions about my past bring up unpleasant memories for me, and it hurts me just lying to him. It's strange, as it's almost automatic for me to deflect awkward questions, but…with him, I feel like opening up for the first time in my life.

I try and rationalize with myself, throwing away useless arguments and flimsy excuses as I run. I barely notice as I run into a pack of Beowolves, drawing Gambol Shroud effortlessly and laying into them. Slash, shoot, flip, parry, stab. Rinse, and repeat. I feel my anger at myself fuelling my blows, giving strength to each strike at the Grimm. A blazing black aura starts to surround me, and I no longer care for the world. Why am I so stupid? Why am I so helpless?

_WHY WHY WHY FUCKING WHY! _

The black starts to recede, and I find myself taking much calmer breaths even as the last body falls. I stand in the middle of a field of blood, Beowolf bits scattered all around. The rage dissipates, to be replaced by a sense of hollow sadness. The bushes ahead of me begin trembling, only to be crushed by the massive claws of a Deathstalker.

I. Hate. Bugs.

I do my best to run, to flee, to escape, but my body refuses to obey me. My mouth opens in a silent scream, even my voice defying me. I give up trying to resist my fear, resigned to my fate. The ground shakes as the Grimm approaches, but I no longer care. I only wish for the sweet, cold, black eternity of death, to atone for my sins.

"_So create your monuments to your sins. For even statues have feet of clay, and nothing lasts forever. Errors can be erased, transgressions forgiven."_

The lines echo through my mind, but they are not of my own. I strain my ears trying to search for the voice that uttered them, but am only greeted by silent footsteps. Wait. Footsteps?

"Blake!"

A streak of green and pink that I have begun to love slams into me, sending me sailing out of harm's way just as a golden stinger impacts the earth. We lie there for a moment, but it feels like a lifetime. _He came back._ The thought ricochets through my romantic novel-tainted mind, only to be cruelly shot down by my more realistic side. _He had to. I'm his partner._

My eyes stay wide open, my body still adamant in its defiance. I see a pair of gorgeous pink eyes lock with mine, and a glint of determination is sparked in them. He stands up, yelling some totally badass battle cry as he charges the scor-scorpi-Grimm. There. Grimm. I'm powerless to help as he dodges one claw, only to be batted away imperiously by the other. I'm frozen as he stabs at the Deathstalker's carapace, and utterly helpless as he is thrown off.

I see this boy, this _man_ who I just met, risking his life for mine. A warm feeling spreads through my body as the paralysis fades away, empowered by Ren's courage. I shakily try to stand up, but my limbs give way to gravity. I see him land next to me, sigh, then take me up in a bridal carry. Fuchsia orbs look over me as I am spirited away, away from that thrice-damned beast.

I'm lying there in his strong arms, but I can feel his aura slowly withering away. He doesn't really have much stamina, I observe, but he's willing to use it all just to save me. I'm touched, really.

He slows down eventually, seemingly taking very precise steps. Following something? My musings are proved correct, as he gently brushes aside some branches to reveal the Forest Temple. Several assorted black and gold chess pieces stand atop of pedestals, although judging from the gaps some of them are missing.

Sighing internally, I reluctantly speak up.

"Um, I know this is becoming a habit, but…you can put me down again, if you want…"

Wow. Real smooth Blake. He quickly apologizes and sets me onto my feet, although I notice he stays close by in case I falter. I smile at him reassuringly, getting a slight nod and grin in response as I approach the pieces.

I take a step towards the pedestals, my eyes going over them sceptically. Not this one, too gaudy. Not this one, too lowly. _Definitely_ not the King. Hmm…I step closer and wrap my hands around a single piece, slowly lifting it from its stand and bringing it closer.

I see Ren raise an eyebrow quizzically, and I open my mouth to respond.

"It's dark and mysterious like the both of us, and is the most agile piece in the game. It avoids obstacles and generally is underestimated, but used properly can be a deadly weapon."

He smiles, and I do my best not to faint.

"The black knight. Good choice, Blake."

"Plus you're my knight in not-so-shining armour…"

"Uh…what was that Blake? I don't think I caught that last one."

Shit. I said that out loud didn't I? I try and stammer out a response even as I fight to control my breathing, burning cheeks stating my failure at both. Thankfully, I'm saved from an awkward moment by Pyrrha and Jaune bursting out of the bushes and covered in scrapes.

Pyrrha notices my flushing cheeks first, and raises an eyebrow. I narrow my eyes, then nod near-imperceptibly towards the Arc boy. Her cheeks light up as red as her hair, and I smirk ever so slightly. Score one for Belladonna.

Yang and Ms. Schnee show up hot on their tails, and I struggle not to grin as the heiress stops mid-lecture to acknowledge us before continuing just as she left off. The blonde seems to be ignoring her, but Weiss is too far into her speech to let up now. I roll my eyes and look off to the east, where a certain haunting cry sounds from.

The rest of the group look up just in time, to be greeted by Ruby Rose dropping in from what appears to be a ruffled Nevermore. Just as she lands clumsily, a smallish Ursa gallops in from the same direction. Pyrrha aims her rifle, but there's no need to. The Grimm collapses as blast of pink energy eviscerates it, revealing an orange-haired girl in pink and white. Ren groans, and I look towards him with a question in my eyes.

"Friend of yours?"

Ren simply nods in seeming despair as the girl twirls about and cheers before high-fiving Ruby. The two's faces crack into wide smiles as they see us, sprinting forwards. Ren gets tackled by the hammer-wielding one, a muffled cry of "Goddammit Nora" coming from under her generous…ness. Ugh. I look down slightly in despair as I feel a slight pang from inside. _Dammit Blake. They're just friends…right?_

I fight down the feeling, though now that I get a good look at a certain area of Pyrrha and Yang, I feel a little…disadvantaged. I can't help but envy them, though the redhead seems a tad possessive of Jaune. Thankfully, Ren manages to get out from the crazy girl.

"Great. Now we're all here to die together."

I smirk a little at Yang's remark and ready a comeback, but Weiss beats me to it.

"_OR,_ we can just grab a relic and run for it. We don't necessarily need to die, you know."

Pyrrha and I nod in agreement, the rest of the girls already picking a piece. I see the redhead snatch the white knight, with her stealing a look at Jaune while she did it. I grin at her, and she blushes yet again. 2-0 Belladonna, and I'm on a roll. Should I rub it in? Nah…actually, yes.

"White knight, to signify your willingness to fight and defend the people of Vytal. A good choice. That, and perhaps a certain knight in shining armour is involved?"

I swear, if Pyrrha got any redder, her outside would be as crimson as her inside. I give her a smirk one more time, the redhead shooting back a glare that could melt steel. I decide to let her off the hook for now, seeing as Jaune was clueless about what just happened between us two. The rest of the girls are laughing, though, even Weiss. Of course, we don't enjoy for long.

A shower of feathers slams into the ground scant metres from us, prompting a yelp from Arc and the rest of us to run off. I see Ren next to me, barely keeping pace but refusing to give up. He flashes me a smile that I gladly return, a hint of pink tingeing my cheeks. Dammit. Is he doing this on purpose?

I do my best to ignore the boy to my left, focusing instead on our surroundings. There's a suspiciously flat plain ahead of us, seemingly unending as the horizon vanishes into the fog. Now, there's a chance that we just didn't notice it before, but…I wouldn't put it past Ozpin to make half a forest disappear. I've heard strange rumours about Beacon before I came here, and most of them made the headmaster out to be a nutcase.

My train of thought gets suddenly derailed as that same Deathstalker comes in from the woods on our flank. I freeze almost immediately, saving me from being impaled by a metre-long feather. I vaguely hear Ren shout my name, barely see him come to a sudden stop and run back. My entire existence is focused on that goddamned Grimm, and I'm paralyzed by fear yet again.

_No. This can't be happening. _But it is, as the beast advances upon me yet again. I register the fact that this was the same one Ren injured, but only just. My body feels as though a dozen needles are piercing it, my mind like a virtual prisoner. _This can't be happening. Not here. Not now. I will not LET it happen!_ I see Ren getting closer, but the Deathstalker is close behind him. I hear his voice again, a little louder this time. My limbs feel a little less numb, but only a little.

The ground shakes as the Grimm approaches, but I do my best to ignore it. I hear Ren keep shouting my name, and I try and focus on that. He's ten metres away, then eight, then five. Just before he reaches me, though, I see the scorpion's tail start to descend. He'll never make it in time.

Seeing my partner, seeing _Ren_, in danger is enough. I'm jolted out of my paralysis, energy surging through me. Time seems to move in slow-motion as I jump, drawing Gambol Shroud while tackling the boy to one side. I fire the pistol as I drag him away, using the recoil to enhance my speed. I can feel him struggling a little, but I have to keep him safe from the Deathstalker. A golden stinger slams into the ground over and over again, missing each time, but only just.

_Almost…there…_A streak of red and gold races by, cutting through the air and impacting against the Grimm's hard shell. It's followed by a sprinting Pyrrha, the warrior retrieving her shield in an outstretched hand before blocking yet another stinger strike. I see Arc leap in next to her, as Pyrrha takes a moment to nod at both me dragging Ren with a knowing smile. I blush, but not as deeply as my partner. Crap. 2-1.

"Somehow, I think that a bridal carry would be more comfortable…"

I look down at Ren, a small sheepish smile on his face.

"Uh…can I get up now?"

Oh. Well. At least it's a refreshing change…I offer him a hand as he quickly stands, before shouting to the Spartan and the Knight that they can leave now. The four of us dash off, sighting a narrow bridge in the distance.

White marble, but worn down with age. Long, thin support pillars, and a tall steeple. Neo-Valian style, then. No time to examine the architecture further, sadly, as the Deathstalker is close on our heels. A haunting cry from above signifies yet another threat, in the shape of a Nevermore.

Jaune thinks quickly, shouting out orders to Ren, Pyrrha, and me. Ruby does the same for her sister, Ms. Valkyrie, and Schnee. Ren and I make it across the bridge first, firing at the Nevermore in an attempt to distract it. Pyrrha drags Jaune close behind us, taking potshots with her hunting rifle but making little headway.

The girls are having as much trouble with the Deathstalker behind us, and even as I watch the middle of the bridge collapses. A black feather impacts the stone behind me, and I leap back into action.

"Blake!"

Jaune's voice grabs my attention, even as he motions towards me with his shield. I get the hint, and run forwards. He lowers the shield, and I step on. An aura-assisted thrust later, and I find myself soaring through the air. I. HATE. FLYING.

I have no choice though, even as I boost myself with my pistol's recoil. I take aim at the Nevermore, and make it onto its back, barely. I'm followed by Ren, but a stray rock knocks him slightly off-course. It's enough, and he passes by just an inch away from the bird. I think quickly, slinging the bladed end of my shroud at him and willing him to grab on.

He swings on it like a pendulum, nearly dislocating my shoulder, but manages to end up next to me. Nodding, I quickly wrap the cloth of my shroud around its neck and pull, while he digs in his blades in an attempt to steer the Grimm. The raven rams into the steeple, sending crashing down a millennia's worth of work. We're jolted, but manage to hold on. Down below, I see the Amazon and Arc dodge the debris, with Pyrrha continuing to fire her rifle.

I feel the Nevermore start to slacken under the pressure, and I cinch the cloth even tighter. Its wings flap slower, dipping slightly downwards. A single lucky shot into the bird's eye sends it careening, and an aura-enhanced palm thrust from my partner weakens it just enough. A single shuddering breath, and the Grimm bothers us nevermore. I leap off just as it starts to fall, landing gracefully on the Beacon cliffs. Ren stumbles to a halt beside me, flashing me another eye-catching grin before nodding towards the setting sun. I keep looking at him, even as Pyrrha tries to get my attention from below.

I love you, Lie Ren, even if you don't know it yet. I'll follow you _a morte perpetua_, till everlasting death. The sun sets upon Beacon Academy, but the time of my life is just beginning.

**A/N** **Whew! That was the longest chapter I've ever written for Fanfiction, just shy of 5000! Record for me, and now that I'm done with the intro, I have free rein! Probably a little too late to say I might be writing a little OOC, but unlike the 40k fandom RWBY seems to be much more forgiving. Read, Review, and most of all, ENJOY! -Rafen**

**Slight change, minor errors fixed. You shouldn't notice, but just in case. -Rafen 24/10/13  
**


	4. Domine, Libra Nos

**Black Dragon**

**Chapter 3: **_Domine, Libra Nos_

"_I have defied gods and demons. I am your shield; I am your sword. I know you; your past, your future. This is the way the world ends." –Curtana, __The Storm__ by Chrys Belladonna_

* * *

**HER**

"…and Cardin Winchester! They collected the Black Bishop pieces, and shall henceforth be known as team CRDL, led by Mr. Winchester!"

A crowd's worth of applause floats up from the auditorium, where the second years and up reside. I'm standing backstage nervously with Ren, fidgeting slightly but otherwise seemingly calm. Seemingly. On the inside, my stomach is performing a full-blown acrobatics routine. Who will I be with? Who will be the leader? Obviously not me, but the questions bounce around my head regardless as the next team is called up.

"Ruby Rose, Nora Valkyrie, Yang Xiao-Long, and Weiss Schnee! These young ladies collected the Black and White Queens, respectively, and are to together be known as team RYSN, or Risen! And the leader is none other than Ruby Rose!"

I hear Pyrrha clap politely, followed momentarily by Jaune. I start up just after them, crossing my fingers in my mind and wondering. Not many people left, but there are still a multitude of possibilities. That kid with the halberd, or maybe the girl with the rocket launcher. Perhaps that Faunus with the plasma sword, or the Dragoon with his back turned to me. So many possibilities, the threads of fate spread far and wide.

As the new team RYSN is ushered quietly offstage, I take a quick moment to check my appearance. We were given barely any time to rest after the initiation, and it shows on quite a few people. Thankfully, all I needed to do was throw on a clean blouse and undershirt. Ren said something about a new suit, and I cringed a little when I remembered I dragged him along the ground. He's still wearing the same one as before though, minus the dirt, so perhaps he likes his outfit? My musings are cut short as I hear my name being called up by Ozpin.

"Blake Belladonna, Lie Ren, Pyrrha Nikos, and last but not least, Jaune Arc! Due to a rather…_unfortunate_ incident involving a pair of B-Class Grimm being set loose in the Emerald Forest, we seem to be down four students. These brave men and women retrieved the Black and White Knights, and as the pairs who took their counterparts are currently…_incapacitated_, so to speak, the four here shall be known as team Auburn, or ABRN, led by…Jaune Arc!"

I catch Pyrrha giving Jaune a quick congratulatory hug followed by a light punch on the shoulder, and I try to restrain myself from smirking. But what the headmaster said was troubling. He seemed to have no qualms about dead/injured students, even if they weren't really initiated yet. He delivered his lines in a rather deadpan manner, as if he wasn't fully there. Then there's that gods-damned coffee mug…

I walk slowly backstage, to be greeted by a gasp of awe from the invisible audience. Perhaps Ozpin slipped and cracked his head? I poke my head through the curtains, ignoring the muted protests of Jaune. I'm confused for a moment, before my eyes are drawn to the giant videoscreen. Oh, no. He did _not_. The slimy bastard had put up a video of me strangling the Nevermore to death, replete with a few near-upskirt shots of yours truly. The rest of my team was focused on more than me, thankfully, but I did catch a bit of…ahem…_fanservice_ in the montage. I swear, if that arse wasn't the headmaster, he'd be missing quite a few vital extremities right about now.

I close my eyes in disgust and rejoin my team, moving a little faster than before. I look upon them all with a critical eye. Pyrrha, the flame-haired beauty. Four-time Mistral Tournament champion, top of her class in Sanctum. Armed with sword/spear/rifle & sword, fights aggressively but efficiently. Watch out for her. Jaune Arc, the…er…meatshield? Descendant of Joan D'Arc, shows none of her skills. Armed with sword/shield, fights…reluctantly. Pretty good plans, though. Watch out to make sure our 'glorious leader' doesn't kill himself. Lie Ren, the Jade Dragon. Unknown past, very mysterious. Armed with dual machine-pistols, primarily uses aura-charged physical blows. Uses weapons sparingly. Another to look out for. Er…in more ways than one… And then, there's me. Blake Belladonna, Ninja of Love.

Pyrrha meets my gaze unrelentingly, Jaune shrinks back slightly in fear, and Ren? He actually blushes a little and looks away. For a second, I'm tempted to say something, but I hold back. Instead, I give a subtle nod of approval before finding my room. Now, if I recall correctly, it should be close by. I don't bother checking to see if the others are following, leaving them behind and walking determinedly. I _definitely_ don't want to be seen by the remainder of the student body after that...interesting video, so I do my best to get to the room ahead of the rest.

My low heels echo near-silently across the empty hallway, the lack of life and decoration slightly unnerving. It gives me time to think, though. Do I want to tell my team about my past? It's bound to rear its ugly head one day, but…do I wait until that day? Believe me, I can wait for that door to open, but…no. Maybe when they gain my trust, but not before. Not even for…Ren. As a matter of fact, can I trust my life to them? With Ren, probably. He did save my life a few times before, and vice versa. Pyrrha…maybe. She's certainly proved her worth with her achievements, and her skill. As for Jaune…I'm not too comfortable with the idea of him guarding my back.

My impromptu assessment of the three done, I devote my focus back to my surroundings. Room number 2410-W, so second floor, west wing. I already made the turn into the wing, and quickly ascend the stairs. Far behind me, I can hear the chatter of Nikos and Arc, so I've got a while to myself. Turn left, follow the signs. 2408, 2409, 2410. There! I grab my scroll from my handbag, looking curiously at the lock. A little red light is emanating from both, so I bring the device closer to the door. The light changes to green, and the door slides open. Huh. That worked.

I step in, the lights slowly turning on as I enter. Four beds, wide open space available. Ensuite bathroom, two separate toilet stalls, and one shower. Wait. Four beds? …Goddammit. Did these _have_ to be co-ed rooms? I mean, I don't mind terribly, seeing as I'll probably be up before anyone else, but…still. This is an academy for _Hunters_, not a dating program. Then again, if what I saw of Ozpin is anything to base off of, he probably doesn't care either way. Ugh.

I claim a bed on the left, closest to the bathroom. Seeing as my things had been delivered already, I unpack. Folding desk and lamp in the corner, small bookcase off to the side, and the most comfortable wheelie chair ever to top it all off. Letting out a small sigh of satisfaction, I take out a single novel and throw myself onto the bed, exhausted.

* * *

**HIM**

Well. That was…something. While I certainly expected to be with Blake, being put on the same team as Pyrrha and Jaune was rather surprising. Not as surprising as finding out at least four students were killed by the same creatures we vanquished, but still surprising. Then there was that video of us. I was watching the ceremony via my scroll, and even I was a little startled by that. Standard fanservicey shots aside, the level of in-depth recording Ozpin had was intensive. I didn't notice any camera drones either, although there were quite a few normal crows hanging about during the battle. Repurposed drones in the shape of animals? A possibility, however distressing. Blake had gone up ahead, saying something about our rooms. I was content to stick with the other two, smirking slightly as Pyrrha flirted with Jaune and he apparently took no notice.

Then I remembered that the rooms were co-ed. Dear ancestors, this should be fun. Then again, it would be like the headmaster to do this, if for the sake of his entertainment alone. After all, he didn't seem to care about the initiation deaths. Why should he put much effort into caring about us? The majority of the students here prepaid for their four years anyways, the remainder on scholarships. If they died or dropped out, well that wasn't really Beacon's problem.

While pragmatic, this arrangement also meant that he expected us to be 'professional' at all times. Something which I guess would last for about a month before students started hooking up, if not less. We kept walking, with the Knight and the Spartan chatting excitedly and me pretending not to listen in. They tried engaging me in conversation a few times, but I did my best to gently brush them off. While they weren't as infuriating as Nora, they weren't exactly the silent type either. Perhaps I should have gone ahead with Blake?

It made little difference, either way, as we soon arrived at our destination. I was a little ahead of the two by this time, but not by much. A quick scan of my scroll later, and the door slides open. I'm greeted by a small grunt from Blake, her face practically buried in her book. The dust cover was gone, the words on the front illegible with wear. Clearly she had re-read it several times, and here she was again. I turn to find my single emerald hockey bag leaning on a wall, along with a few red suitcases that I assumed were Pyrrha's. Assessing the situation, I quickly lay claim to the bed opposite Blake's, across from the bathroom. There's a small wooden desk set up already, along with a decent bedside table. I replace the lamp with one featuring a green dragon, placing an abacus and my family seal next to it. My hockey bag goes under my bed, along with its contents. All I take out of it is a small red book, its cover emblazoned with a lotus flower, and a change of clothes for tomorrow.

I'm about to go to the washroom to change just as Jaune and Pyrrha walk in. I catch Blake smirking at Nikos' blushing face, and I mirror her look. Jaune is apologizing profusely for something, with me catching a few words here and there. Ugh. Time to cut down my estimation to two weeks before relationships spring up.

Regardless, Jaune makes a beeline to the shower, and I'm forced to wait it out. I sigh, then sit down on my bed and get back to reading. _"…The naval forces were then lined up shooting on the bank to prevent a landing. Presently the soldiers arrived, and ten thousand and more soldiers were shooting down into the river, where the arrows fell like rain. The whole twenty boats were bristling with arrows on both sides. As they left, Zhu Liang asked all the crews to shout derisively, 'We thank you, Sir Prime Minister, for the arrows.'"_

I chuckle a little at that, Liang having just saved himself from a rather pressing deadline. Then I notice that the room has gone dead silent. I look up, and Pyrrha and Jaune are staring at me. Blake is still engrossed in her book but I catch the hints of a smile on her face.

"Um…is there a problem?"

Arc and Nikos look at each other for a moment before he answers hesitantly.

"Nothing, it's just…we haven't seen you laugh before."

Oh. Right.

"Just something I was reading, that's all." I feel their stares continue, and my cheeks start to heat up a bit. Quick, change the subject!

"Jaune. You're done in the washroom, right? Thanks."

I run off, ignoring their protests and moans as I slam the door shut. Great. My partner is a bookworm (not a bad thing, though) and the other two think I'm some weird guy with no emotions. Jade Emperor deliver me, this is going to be a _long_ four years.

* * *

**Sorry for the filler chapter, but I kinda needed to get to the next major bit. Additionally, apologies for the non-colour-themed name for team RYSN, but I honestly couldn't think of anything else. One last bit: If you can guess what Ren was reading, you get a virtual cookie! As always, read, review, and ENJOY!**

**-Rafen**


	5. Forward Unto Dawn

**Black Dragon**

Chapter 4: 對黎明 (_Forward Unto Dawn)_

_"Those who are skilled in combat do not become angered, those who are skilled at winning do not become afraid. Thus the wise win before they fight, while the ignorant fight to win." - Zhu Liang, Romance of the Four Kingdoms_

* * *

**Him**

"_I love you Ren." _

"_I love you too Blake."_

_I move in for the kiss, eyes half-closed as I do so. After a good long minute, she breaks it off._

"_Oh, Renny!"_

"_Oh, Bla—wait. Only Nora calls me that…"_

"_OF COURSE I DO RENNY! AND YOU'RE ALL MINE!"_

I'm awoken by a shrill whistle from next door, my heart pounding in my chest. Wow. That was an…interesting nightmare. I look about the room. Jaune has a pillow over his face and is tucked in a foetal position on his bed, blankets draped over him like curtains. Pyrrha is lying on her side, drooling slightly on her pillow I note with a small grin. And Blake…her bed is empty. The light in the washroom is on, though, and I can faintly hear the shower. Well, let's not disturb her.

Now. What was that gods-forsaken whistle? I poke my head out of the door, taking care not to make much noise as I did so. From across the hall, I can make out the sounds of some serious renovation. The RYSN ladies rising, I presume. I shake my head ever so slightly. Girls…will be girls. I close the door behind me as I come back in, looking around yet again. Snoring Jaune, check. Drooling Pyrrha, check. Blake in washroom, check. With my teammates otherwise occupied, I quickly change from my pyjamas into my school uniform.

Green undershirt, white dress shirt, red tie, black and blue blazer, black dress pants. I slip my book in one pocket, scroll in the other. I grab a bag that I purchased in the BA store, filling it with binders and my laptop. That done, I set my things down next to my desk and get back to my reading.

"How's the book?"

Huh? I look up to see Blake's semi-smiling face, replete with bow. When I thought she looked good in her combat clothes, she looks _amazing_ in the Beacon uniform. It was tight in all the right places, and while it covered quite a bit, left just enough for the imagination. I'm rendered speechless for a moment, as I try and stammer a response. I feel my cheeks warm up just a little, as I reply.

"Uh…good?"

She smiles a little, and I faint a tiny bit.

"What's it about?"

"It details the war after an empire fell, and the effects it had on the people involved. Heard of it?"

She pauses for a moment before replying, her bow twitching slightly. Wait. What. Did I just imagine that, or—?

"Romance of the Four Kingdoms, by Lie Guangdong, right?"

Her voice shakes me out of my momentary madness, and I smile, pleasantly surprised.

"Actually, yes. I'm surprised. Not many people have heard of it. Have you read it?"

She gives a tiny nod before answering.

"A classic, for sure. Actually…the author's name…an ancestor of yours?"

Huh. Well, that was fast. Can I bullshit my way out of this? I look into those eyes of hers. …yeah. Probably not.

"My great-uncle, actually. Not as good a pedigree as Jaune's, but I make do."

There's a small glint in her eyes, something that suggests far greater intelligence than even her appearance does. She's definitely one to look out for. She doesn't seem to want to share her past, like me. What are you hiding, Blake Belladonna? What don't you want us to know?

I must have been staring at her, lost in thoughts as I was, for I notice a pink tinge to her cheeks. Mine start heating up too, and I quickly look away. Way to make it awkward, Ren. And then there's a loud 'Aaawwwwwww' from the direction of Pyrrha, and I stifle a sigh as I turn with a retort on my lips.

"Good morning to you too, the both of you."

Jaune's not very good at pretending to sleep, I note. He groans something about 'five more minutes' before turning face-down. Pyrrha just makes a beeline for the showers, and I sigh. Then a crash resounds from the other side of the hall, followed by cheers and a yell of 'banzai!'. Well, there goes my peaceful morning…

A small chime echoes from my pocket, and I take out my scroll. _8:55. Five minutes until classes._ Shit.

I throw on my bag and dash out the door, followed by Blake and the girls of team RYSN. Jaune and Pyrrha are behind, I presume, but I have no time to waste. Just my luck that the first year dorms are the farthest from our morning classes. Take a right, down the stairs, enter the east wing, left into auditorium 6E with barely seconds to spare.

"Good morning, Mr. Lie. You have exactly two seconds to sit down before class begins. I trust this near-tardy behaviour will not happen again?"

I nod hurriedly as I grab a seat, Blake sitting next to me. Jaune stumbles into class a moment later, dragged by Pyrrha. I see Blake smile at that, and Pyrrha's face goes red. Are they keeping score…?

"Good morning, Arc. Oh, and to you, Ms. Nikos. If you would care to take a seat? The both of you, see me after class."

After catching my breath, I look around the classroom. Barely any of the seats are filled, so it looks like quite a few people will be sticking around to speak with the teacher once this is over. Jaune sits on the other side of me, and Pyrrha beside him. He looks like a wreck, with dark circles underneath his eyes and a few buttons mismatched.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty."

"Dream of electric sheep, did you?"

Arc blushes as we mercilessly tease him, but thankfully for him the teacher begins teaching.

"Hello, and welcome to DND1H1, Applied Dust Physics for first years. I am your teacher, Mr. Qin, and today we will be discussing the basic applications of Dust…"

Great. First class of the day, and I get the Eastern teacher. Well, I should feel right at home here, then. The only problem being: If you have an Eastern teacher for physics of any sort…

"You! Mr. Arc! How much Dust is required to power three reactors, each reactor producing 158.24 KWH of power?"

"Uh…a lot?"

"Wrong! Twenty kilograms per day! That's another twenty lines for you to write after hours!"

…you're gonna have a bad time. Then there's the fact that half the class is currently locked outside…

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you do not have the courtesy to show up early to class then you might as well not take it! _Bok Gai!_"

I stifle a laugh at the Heun Gon colloquialism, echoing the teacher's sentiments almost exactly. Mr. Qin mutters something about _si fut gwai_, and I do my best not to choke to death laughing. Maybe this class isn't too bad after all…

"Is something funny, Mr. Lie? Tell me, what is the explosive power of twelve milligrams of red Dust when ignited by a level two aura charge?"

…Fuck. Quickly, I do the math. 1mg=0.1kg of TNT, that's 1.2kg. Level 2 aura charge, so that's 2.4kg in a vacuum. Take into account standard atmospheric conditions, that's 2.5398134 kg. Round down, that's 2.5kg of TNT.

"Um…two and a half kilograms of TNT?"

"Close, but no. Two point five three nine eight one three four kilograms, to be precise. You're a disappointment to your family. Ten lines, an essay on the importance of details due tomorrow, and see me after class."

…I think I spoke too soon. I bury my head in my notes, muttering under my breath. Blake giggles next to me, and for a second it seems as though she might pass under the radar.

"Something the matter, Miss Belladonna?"

Or, maybe not.

"Please. Enlighten the class as to how much dust is required to power a Dustplane moving at two hundred kilometres per hour for three hours."

She pauses for a moment, and I'm about to lean over to whisper the answer when she replies.

"One kilogram of raw blue dust, or half a kilo of refined red."

"…Correct, Belladonna. Congratulations on correctly answering a question, unlike you _peers_…"

She smirks slightly, and I look upon her with awe.

"…Teach me your ways." I whisper, hoping that Qin doesn't catch me. Thankfully, the bell rings just before the blue-clad teacher can wheel on me. I already copied down the lines he made me write, and handed them off to him as I exited before joining the crowd of waiting students.

I motion for Blake to get to the next class, but she thinks otherwise.

"Nah, it's okay. I'll wait for you."

I gesture my thanks, before turning back to what seems to be a _very_ long lecture. I zone out halfway, only catching one or two words each sentence. I'm pretty sure he eventually dropped into our shared native tongue for the last bit, leaving a crowd's worth of bewildered stares. After what seemed like an eternity, he sent us off with a shouted warning not to be late tomorrow and to pay better attention in class.

Grumbling, I look to where Blake was leaning on the wall. Surprise surprise, she wasn't there.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me…"

"Hey."

I turn around, startled, to be greeted by that same pair of amber eyes. Where the hell did she come from? Wait. Did her bow just twitch again—? Impossible. I must be seeing things. Sleep deprivation, most likely.

"C'mon. Let's get to class, Mr. Scientist."

Yeah. This is definitely gonna be a long four years.

* * *

**Her**

I try to resist smirking slightly as I half-drag, half-lead Ren to our next class. Combat Studies, with Goodwitch. All of the first years will be in attendance, and I have to say I'm looking forward to it. Exiting the lecture halls, we quickly walk towards the amphitheatre. There's a beautiful path through the gardens on the way, passing by a multitude of statues and a large pond. I vaguely see Jaune staring at the central statue, and Pyrrha with her arm on his shoulder. Ah, young love. Even if he's too dumb to notice it…

No time to enjoy the scenery, sadly, as we soon enter the large hall. Seats are arranged around a central stadium, like some sort of modern Coliseum. The chairs filling up fast, I drag Ren over beside team RYSN. At least, I start to, then I remember that Nora's there too.

"Renny!"

Ah, crap. Too late. He catches her eye, and she grabs his other arm to drag him over.

"OMIGOSH REN WE HAVE SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT AND IT SUCKS HOW WE'RE NOT ON THE SAME TEAM AND I MISS YOU SO MUCH AND HOW'S LIFE AND DID YOU MISS ME?"

He tries to brush off her attempts at conversation, to no avail. Sigh. Jaune and Pyrrha sit down next to me, with Nikos giving me an evil grin. Ugh. 4-4, then. Thankfully, Goodwitch starts up just then.

"Good morning, students. Welcome to your first combat class of your time here at Beacon. The rules are simple. No killing, and the fight ends when one contestant's aura reaches the red. Good luck. First up, Cardin Winchester and Velvet Scarletina!"

A moment later, a boy in full plate armour and somehow wielding a mace steps onto the stage. He's followed by a bunny faunus, wearing a light leather jacket and armed with a short sword and pistol. They seem evenly matched, his strength versus her speed and agility. What really cinches the match, though, is how they hold themselves. The boy, Cardin I presume, is laidback and confident. Velvet, on the other hand, looks like she wants to just curl up in a corner and hide. I can already tell how this is gonna end, which is messily.

"Your assessment begins…now."

Cardin immediately lunges at the faunus, his mace raised above his head. She dodges to the side, barely making it before firing a few shots at Cardin. Her hand shakes far too much, and all but one of the bullets miss him. A single stab by her gets deflected off of his plate armour, and Cardin wrenches his mace from the crater he made in the ground. A swings again, and this time she's too late. Velvet gets smashed out of the stadium, and a loud buzzer sounds. I look to the videoscreen, and she's already in the red. One swing was all it took…Cardin's someone to look out for.

"And match. Victory to Cardin Winchester of team CRDL! Next up, Blake Belladonna and Pyrrha Nikos!"

I gasp a little in surprise, then stand up slowly. Pyrrha does the same, and we walk off slowly to the changerooms. Off goes the constrictive uniform, and on goes my battle gear. White undershirt, black vest, white shorts, violet stockings, and black low-heeled boots. Oh, and of course, my signature bow. Properly attired, I grab Gambol Shroud from my locker and step onto the stage. I'm followed a second later by Pyrrha, her shield slung on her back and sword in hand.

The arena rises slightly, the lights being arranged in such a way that the audience is seemingly invisible. My shroud in hand, I bow ever so slightly to my opponent. She does the same, then draws her shield.

"Your assessment begins…now. Do try not to kill each other."

Pyrrha morphs her blade into a rifle, firing blasts of crimson energy. I effortlessly dodge, firing suppressed rounds at her as I do so. I close in, leaving an afterimage to exploit my superior speed. She stabs at the air, missing me by inches as I streak past. I land a single blow using my sheathe, but it glances off of her shield with a resounding _clang_.

She sweeps in, trying to bash me in the face with her round shield. I duck under it, unravelling Gambol Shroud and taking a free slash at her abdomen. It's blocked by her weapon, now in sword form, and she takes a step back. I do the same, and start circling her. My blade is now in katana form, and I'm dual-wielding it with its sheathe. Pyrrha crouches low, then jumps up. Her blade in spear form, she takes a lunge at me which I dodge with ease. Damn. I need to get past that shield if I want to make any headway. Either that, or…

My shroud unravels, with me holding it low on the hilt. The blade is hanging loose, ready to take advantage of any opportunity. Pyrrha recovers from her lunge, using Milo in shortsword form yet again. She feints first right, then left, trying and failing to distract me. She goes in for a lunge, and I take my chance.

Gambol Shroud flies out of my hands, the bladed end making her stumble slightly and the cloth wrapping itself around her sword's handle. I give it a tug and a twist, and the blade goes soaring into the air. She's stunned for a second, but recovers quickly and shieldbashes me. I'm too late to dodge it, so I simply go redirect the force of the blow. I backflip just as it impacts me, using the momentum to come to a halt scant metres away. She tries to recover her sword, but I give her no chance. I fire multiple rounds from my weapon as she blocks them with contemptuous ease, but I'm prepared for that. Just as she's about to reach it, the gunblade flips into the air almost as if possessed with life of its own.

Pyrrha is momentarily distracted by reclaiming her weapon, and as a result her back is left slightly open. I take advantage of that, slamming the bladed end into her back and raking the armour. She shouts out loud, her aura having already been depleted while trying to lunge at me. It doesn't do any lasting damage, however, but her aura drops just a little. Still stunned, she doesn't notice the cleaver sheathe of my shroud descending towards her until it's too late. It almost deflects off her shield, her reactions still lightning-fast. But I manage to change the course just in time, delivering a powerful blow to her gut.

That does it, and her aura drops to the red. The force of the blow is enough to knock her backwards a bit, and although she recovers quickly and seems ready to fight again, Goodwitch somewhat surprisingly stops the fight.

"Match, to Blake Belladonna."

The invisible audience erupts in shouts, some of them startled. I nod understandingly. Nikos was the 4-time champion of the Mistral tournament, and some unknown girl defeated her! Well, unknown to them, anyways. The lights fade out, and before they are extinguished I glance over to my team. Ren is clapping slowly, and faint smile on his face. Jaune's mouth is simply agape, and I can't blame him. After all, I just beat his saviour. Ah, well.

"Good match, teammate."

Pyrrha accepts my hand with a gracious smile, shaking it once before holding up my hand and loudly proclaiming me the victor.

"You too, teammate."

* * *

**Surprising end, no? Well there have been some requests to turn down the romance a little, so I'll slow down the ships for now. That, and my friend wants to kill me for ruining her RenxNora OTP. I'll normally be updating Wednesdays and Saturdays, although I won't be able to update this weekend. Rest assured, the next chapter will come next week! As always, read, review, and enjoy!**

**-Rafen**


	6. Into the Howling Dark

**A/N: Wow. After watching episode 15, I have to say: I FUCKING CALLED IT! Unfortunately, I haven't advanced far enough into the plot to depict the events of said episode without seriously messing up the story. However, I have thrown in a bit of angst to satiate you. Also, Blake seriously needs a hug. Like seriously. SHE LOOKS SO CUTE WITHOUT THAT BOW :3 **

**-Rafen**

**Black Dragon**

Chapter 5: _Into the Howling Dark_

"_Your hopes have become my burden. I will find my own liberation…"_

**Him**

I applaud as Blake thrashes Pyrrha, Jaune's mouth agape. I never once doubted her abilities, and this match proved it. While Pyrrha's one of the best, her fighting style is a bit too rigid to compete with the unpredictability of Gambol Shroud. Though now that Blake has taken advantage of it, Pyrrha's probably going to make a change. I flash a quick smile at her as the lights fade, with the results being announced by Goodwitch. Then Nora starts going apeshit, and I'm stuck trying to calm her down.

"OMIGOSH DID THAT JUST HAPPEN RENNY? YOUR PARTNER JUST DESTROYED PYRRHA OMIGOSH AND SHE'S ACTUALLY PRETTY CUTE AND WAIT WHAT AM I SAYING AND—"

"…Nora? Calm yourself. You're starting to stutter again."

"Oh. Sooooorrrrrryyy Ren…."

Sigh. Ah, well. Looks like Goodwitch is starting up again…

"Congratulations, Miss Belladonna. Up next, Sky Lark and Jaune Arc!"

Our fearless leader timidly walks to the changerooms, shaking with every step. Lark has the same confident swagger as his leader, waltzing up onstage with a large square-shaped shield and a short stabbing sword, the standard armament of a Mistrallian Legionnaire. Jaune practically crawls up, shield in one hand and sword in the other.

Oh, this should be entertaining. Jaune has slightly better agility than Sky, the large body-hugging shield dragging him down far too much. That same shield gave him quite a bit of protection, however, so they seemed evenly matched. Jaune was far more reluctant, though, and attitude made all the difference in a fight. But since he had Pyrrha to perhaps, 'inspire' him, he just might end this fight with at the very least a tie.

"Mr. Arc, try not to die and check your aura, for once. An aggressive posture is not always the best, it left you open for counter-attacks quite a few times during initiation. As for Mr. Lark, please do try not to kill him. I don't look forward to cleaning up the mess if you do."

And with those awe-inspiring words, Lark stepped up and smashed Jaune in the face with the boss of his shield. I winced, despite myself, but Arc managed to somehow recover, with a torrent of blood streaming from his nose, but recovering nonetheless. Sky made to try it again, but Jaune was ready this time. He threw up his own shield as if by instinct, deflecting the blow and slashing down with his own sword. It's barely blocked by Lark's gladius, the infantry sword shuddering at the blow.

Jaune slams his shield into Lark's exposed side, sending the boy stumbling back a step. He pounces, taking yet another slash at Sky. The blond is beaten back; however, the gladius raking his chestplate. Jaune's aura drops a notch, but as usual he seems to not be noticing. Ugh. Well, at least this time he can hit his target, which is better than the fight against the Nevermore. Of course, there's also the fact that Pyrrha isn't there to save his ass…

"Jaune! He lunges early, and leaves his right open when he does!"

…Or maybe she is…

A certain redhead's voice emits from my scroll, and Jaune's surprised face says he hears it too. The problem being, he's too distracted just then and takes another shield to the face. I wince again, as Jaune's aura bar drops dangerously close to the red. Sky's aura is pretty close too, although he's slightly higher. Lark's definitely more skilled, and it looks like it's the end. Jaune's nose is bleeding profusely, and it looks like one eye is swollen shut. Then Sky makes the big mistake of taunting him in his moment of triumph. Jaune's face turns an _intense_ shade of red, and not in embarrassment this time. His body starts slightly glowing with a white aura, and the whole crowd gasps. I see Pyrrha merely smirk, and I make a note to talk to her about this after. Lark, however, appears not to notice and just continues his tirade.

One moment he's laughing about making Pyrrha his bitch, the next he's lying on the ground with a boot on his chest and a certain family sword at his neck. Jaune's voice echoes loud and clear throughout the auditorium, and Sky turns deathly pale.

"Never mess with my partner, asshole. Got that?"

Damn. Badass Jaune right there. Then I catch Pyrrha blushing just a little, probably at the 'my partner' line. Oh gods, I swear Beacon is about to become Dating Academy 101…

One problem. Jaune was too busy gloating, it seems, to notice Lark rising up. The shield slams into his face yet again as he turns, knocking him to the ground and out of the match. Damn. So, so close. Well, at least it's an improvement.

"Well, that was an…interesting…match. Congratulations, Mr. Lark. However, see me after class to discuss your _colourful_ behaviour."

I see Pyrrha rushing to Jaune, face in a stare of shock and despair. He manages to get offstage before collapsing, somehow, and I give him a nod of approval just before he passes out. We all support our dear glorious leader, possibly because he can't support himself. Even as the bell rings to signify the end of the class, I somehow can't wait till the next session. Jaune _is_ improving, after all, even if it's hard to notice.

**Two days later…**

"Fantastic match as always, Miss Rose and Miss Schnee. Next up, Lie Ren and Dove Bronzewing!"

Ah, fuck. I still haven't had time to improve Jade Dragons' penetration ability, so it looks like I'll have to close in with him to win this. Eh, what could go wrong? I don't even bother changing, but just step into the ring with my Dragons in my hands. Dove takes a while longer, but eventually shows up in full body armour and wielding a halberd. Contrary to his name, he flips me off as he walks in. Asshole.

From what I've seen, CRDL's members are a load of douches. They openly discriminate against almost everyone they can find, up to and including Faunus, the weak, the quiet, and anyone born outside of Vale. Team ABRN, specifically Arc and Belladonna, seem to bear the brunt of the insults. I smirk just a little. This is more than just business. No, this is pleasure.

Goodwitch barely says the words before I start firing at Bronzewing, emerald green bullets spraying everywhere. He's startled and backpedals, but quickly recovers and switches his halberd into an RPG and counters me. Golden rockets streak past me as I dodge, exploding harmlessly against a wall of Glyphs. I fire back at him, ducking beneath missiles in between bursts.

The shots glance off his armour, sadly, and I curse vehemently. My ranged attacks are harmless against him, while his are anything but. Thinking on the fly, I run closer towards him. None of his shots seem to touch me, and he soon realizes that. I'm barely two metres out when I'm confronted by the cold metal of a halberd, the tip wavering slightly as he attempts to fend me off.

"Fuck off, Eastern scum. Nobody wants you here."

Woah. That was unexpected. Going full-out asshole, out here in the middle of class? I should have seen that coming, though. Probably trying to look tough in front of the few girls that would be impressed by this show of idiocy. Wonder what Goodwitch is gonna think about this…? While I'm distracted, he lunges forward. I dodge the point, barely, but it gives him enough time to hit me with his rockets instead. A single golden explosion sends me flying, arms flailing in an attempt to regain control. I pick myself up off the ground scant inches from the boundary, breathing a small sigh of relief as I do so. That sigh is cut off by the halberd swinging at head level, and I just manage to jump over it. I roll away as an explosion echoes behind me, leaping up with Dragons sleeved.

"That's _Hunter_ to you, you fucking bigot."

With that, I leap forwards, teeth bared in a snarl and hands in fists. He tries to impale me upon his outstretched blade, but I bat it aside without blinking and set upon him. I rain blow after aura-charged blow onto his armour, well inside his halberd's reach and much safer. At medium range, he has the advantage. In CQC, however, I'm free to rain upon him with impunity.

Bronzewing's halberd lies on the ground forgotten, as he raises his hands in an attempt to stop me. I duck below a punch, deflecting a second one with my forearm and driving a fist into his gut. I can feel his breath escape in response, and I smile. I refuse to let up, though, bringing a knee into his thigh and cracking his plating.

A single open-palm blow into the side of his head sends him reeling, and a quick check of the screen shows that his aura is at last lower than mine. Showing no mercy, I sweep his legs out from under him and drive an elbow into his breastplate. Normal people would stop hitting him once he was down. Normal people would help him back up. Then again, normal people wouldn't attack an armoured man with fists alone.

I don't let up, the memories welling up as my fists rain down. To me, the world is gone, to be replaced by this arena. Me, Bronzewing, and all of my anger. I can vaguely hear his protests, his shouts, his curses, his insults, his insolent existence. All of that is brushed away, fading into sheer utter rage. The world's celestial audience is screaming, baying for blood, and I oblige. So what if I spill a bit of crimson? I lay into him with renewed fury, punch after punch impacting with a sickening _thump_. I break his nose within seconds, leaving him with a pair of black eyes. Then a knee goes into his crotch, and half the audience winces.

Not that I notice, of course. Even as his eyes bulge and his mouth forms into an 'o', I grab his temples and headbutt him. He's dazed even more, and I notice a bit of red in my vision. _No. Teach the bastard a lesson._ I don't know where the words come from, but I like them. My aura, already glowing intensely, ignites into green flame.

As I deliver yet another fierce headbutt, I can make out my aura taking shape. A dragon's head, spitting emerald fire, surrounds me. My fists are claws, my hair a majestic mane. The crowd gasps, and Dove's eyes go wide. If only this guy knew what unholy retribution his dumbass remarks would bring…

"ENOUGH!"

The shout echoes throughout the auditorium, shaking me out of my anger and freezing me mid-strike. A platinum-blonde woman strides onto the stage, shaking with uncharacteristic anger.

"Mr. Ren, you WILL see me after class to discuss your behaviour. Team CRDL, take Bronzewing to the infirmary."

The green flames slowly die out as I slump to the ground, exhausted. A mere glance at the screen states that both of our auras have reached the red, his barely lower than mine. But I don't remember taking that many hits…What does this mean?

Then I snap back to reality, and the quivering teacher in front of me. What it means, right now, is that I am SO fucked. The lights fade to normality, and I slowly look up to my team. Jaune and Pyrrha are in a state of shock, their eyes and mouths wide open. Blake is nowhere to be seen, a fact that impacts me a little more than it should. But what is really looming in my mind is the fact that I nearly killed a fellow student. Granted, the arse deserved it, but one question lingers in my head.

...Why?

**Her**

Holy shit. Did that just…no way. No way. Did Ren just do that? Lie Ren. The quiet guy who freaks everyone out with his emotionless…ness and utter calm? The guy who I've by now become accustomed with the fact that I've fallen in love with? The guy that just enjoys reading and his sleep?

The answer: yes. Sadly, and slightly disturbingly, yes. Ren _did_ in fact just go ragemode and wipe the floor with Dove Bronzewing. Granted, he totally deserved it with that below-the-belt comment, but perhaps that was just a little overkill? Of course, were I Ren, I totally would have done the same. But that's coming from the terrorist…

I take one last look at the two figures on the arena floor, the dragon destroying the dove. The rest of the class is too engrossed by the fight, it seems, and I slip outside without much fuss. It's Saturday, so this is my last class anyways. I cross the gardens, ignoring the statues that line the path. The faces of generations of Hunters past gaze down upon me, and I seek to escape their judgmental wrath.

I start sprinting, my low-heeled boots clicking against the loose cobbles. The doors to the dormitory buildings are wide open, and I brush past an unwary pair of students making out. Ugh. Why do they get together so easily? _IT'S SO UNFAIR._ No. No it isn't. _He probably doesn't even like me anyways…_

I run up the stairs, throwing open the maintenance door to the roof. I make sure to lock it carefully before curling up in the corner with my book. Reading, to me, is my escape. It's the only way I can live with my past, by drowning my sorrows in the written word. But what's the point, if when I'm finished I must return to the real world? For me, my books are my life. _But why do I cower behind pages?_

I flip open the cover, doing my best to ignore the battle raging within me. A few words in, and the storm is momentarily calmed. I feel a cool breeze rustling through the air, and my eyes keep scanning the page.

"_This one is machine and nerve, and has its mind concluded. This one is but flesh and faith, and is the more deluded. I? I am a monument to all your sins."_

"_A collection of lies; that's all I am! Stolen thoughts and memories!"_

_"We exist together now, two corpses in one grave..."_

"_But all for naught! For even now the unholy defile the relics! On the blood of our fathers, on the blood of our sons, we swore to uphold this covenant! And now, this great journey is at its end!"_

"_Silence mortals, for the gods demand your destruction, and we are their instruments!"_

"_When it is over, when the blood has dried and the fires have died down, then we will find that we are the same as we have always been - small and terrified human beings, with only the light of hope to see by in this dark world of sin."_

"_For us, the storm has passed. But let us never forget those who journeyed into the howling dark and did not return. For their decision required courage beyond measure...sacrifice, and unshakable conviction that their fight; our fight, was elsewhere. They ennobled all of us, and they shall not be forgotten…"_

My eyes slowly close even as I read, the world gradually fading into darkness. The light recedes, and I drift away, away from all of my troubles.

_I'm leaping through the air, landing on a moving steel car. I follow my partner, his hand on his sword. I cut open the hatch, dropping in. _

"_Intruder. Identify yourself."_

_My partner responds by decapitating the android, and we annihilate the troops in less than a minute. My partner orders me, and I respond in kind._

"_Move on to the next train car. I'll plant the charges."_

"_But…what about the crew?"_

"_What about them?"_

_What about them?_

_**What about them?**_

_As I watch, his white mask disappears, replaced by a certain black-haired boy's face._

_Now I'm a thousand feet away from him, even as he runs ever closer. I close my eyes in despair, then utter the words that will haunt me forever._

"_Goodbye."_

_I slam my blade into the link between the cars, severing myself from this life. But Ren's voice still carries over, light as the wind and soft as the sea._

"_Blake."_

"_Blake."_

"_Wake up Blake."_

"_Wake up. I need you!"_

My eyes snap open almost instantly, searching left and right for intruders. Left, only a wall. Right, the still-locked door to the roof. There's nobody there but me, and the cool breeze wafting through the still autumn air. I look up into the sky, the sun far lower to the horizon than when I first came up. Huh. I must have been asleep for quite a while…

I pick myself up off the ground, making my way back to our dorm. A quick glance at the clock on the wall in the hallway tells me it's almost four. I've been asleep for over three hours. I slip my scroll out of my bookbag, waving it by the lock on our door and slowly inching it open.

It's almost opened enough for me to sneak in when the poorly-oiled hinges let out a loud _creak_. Fuck.

"Blake!"

A certain redhead pops her head into sight, eyes wide and anxious.

"Ren's been looking all over for you! Where were you?"

Wait. Ren's been looking for _me?_ Of course he has. I'm his partner. He has to…but is there a chance? _No. There isn't. _What possible reason would there be for him to be worried? But since he let that all out in the middle of combat class…

"I was in the library. Busy. Where's Ren?"

She's about to answer when Jaune yells out for us both to shut up before turning up the room's radio. My eyes grow wide as I listen, and I feel a sinking feeling in my stomach.

"_The Schnee Dust Company's newest mine in the centre of Vale has been attacked by forces claiming to be part of the White Fang. Any sources from the Faunus terrorist organization have not claimed responsibility for the attack, but the SDC and the Valian league have vowed revenge. Mistral, Verneas, and Nagarroth have stated their support for Vale. Prime Minister Ferry is due to speak at the Vale Parliament in half an hour. Stay tuned for more details on this developing sto—"_

I tune out the radio as I process the news. It's not apparently obvious to most of the students here, I expect, but I can see it clearly. White Fang is blamed for the attack, SDC and Vale respond. The Valian League declares their support, and perhaps 'evidence' of Eastern involvement is 'discovered'. Before we know it, it's all-out war. Cities destroyed, armies annihilated, nations torn asunder. But who is to gain from all this?

The White Fang? No. Apart from the greater publicity that is to be gained, the Fang would simply be destroyed. Vale? I doubt it. Its forces aren't strong enough to counter the massed armies of the East. The Schnee Dust Company? …Maybe. But why would they sacrifice the single largest dust deposit in recent memory?

But if there's war, then Beacon will be torn apart! Us students come from all over Vytal, and if loyalties come into question…civil war. Well, less so the 'civil' and more so the 'war'. I steel myself to ask the question that I dread asking.

"Pyrrha…if it comes to war…do you fight for Vytal, or for Mistral?"

She doesn't respond, but just looks at me with determination in her eyes. After a moment's silence, she speaks.

"I fight for humanity."

I nod in approval, but deep down, I know there's a difference between humanity and Vytal. My own heritage, to say the least, would have a few choice words to say about that. But I must keep up appearances.

"For humanity."

The words sound hollow, and turn to ashes in my mouth.

"For humanity."

**A/N: Yeah. Maybe Kittyblake, maybe not. Depends how nice I feel at the time. And yeah, shit's about to go down. Honestly, I kinda got writer's block on what to write for Blake's book, so I quoted the Gravemind and some Cardinal-Astra and threw in a bit of my own. Also, I felt the need to accelerate the plot quite a bit. You'll see me throwing in references left and right eventually, so see if you can draw some conclusions and link them to RL events. Lastly, congratulations to nobody for guessing what Ren was reading. It was a slightly edited version of **_**Romance of the Three Kingdoms**_**, a Chinese classic. Read, review, and ENJOY!**

**-Rafen**


	7. The Bell of Lost Souls

**A/N: I wrote this after freezing my ass off at a Remembrance Day parade instead of studying for school. FEEL HONOURED. ^^**

**-Rafen**

**Black Dragon**

Chapter 6: _The Bell of Lost Souls_

"_Everyone is entitled to their own sorrow, for the heart has no metrics or form of measure. And all of it…irreplaceable."_

**Him**

I exit Goodwitch's office, stumbling slightly but keeping my balance. Thankfully, the walk to our dorms isn't too long, and I make it eventually. Honestly, that last episode scared even me. I mean, Dove was certainly being a total douche, but was I overreacting just a little too much? Then there's the fact that my aura was drained as I kept hitting him…

I fumble with my scroll, still a little fuzzy from that fight. The door slides open without complaint, and I manage to get to my bed before collapsing for what seems like an hour.

_What the hell was that, Ren? Why did you let him have such an impact? Why did you have to respond? Why are you such a failure? You can't even win when you're hitting him while he's down. What happens when you're facing someone who knows what they're doing? You fail and die, that's what. And it's not just you, but everyone you know. Jaune, Pyrrha, even _Blake_. All dead, because you're such a failure. And when you go back home, remembered as a failure, then what? Your family will despise you, will spit on your coffin, will be ashamed to call you 'son'. All because you fail to succeed._

I stay like that for an eternity, just lying there, berating myself mentally. What's the point, anyways? Blake probably doesn't even like me back. If I keep trying, I'll just end up getting friendzoned. Not always the best way to end a friendship…

The door lock beeps, and slides open. I look up suddenly, to be greeted by our 'fearless leader'.

"Hey Ren. Uh…you okay?"

I mumble something incoherent before slamming my face into my pillow. I hear the sound of slow, quiet footsteps, before the blond speaks again.

"Yeah. You don't look okay. Um…if you need to talk, I'm here, okay?"

I hear the footsteps start to recede, and I turn over on my bed. The door's about to close, when I get the guts to speak up. _Fuck it. I need _someone_ to trust…_

"Wait! Please, answer just one question. Jaune…do you ever feel like you're a failure?"

He turns slowly, then walks back through the door and takes a seat on his bed next to me. He's silent for a moment, his head in his hands, then he looks up with understanding in his eyes.

"Go on…"

I close my eyes for a moment, then sigh. _Alea Jacta Est. The die is cast._

"Do you ever feel like the world is out to get you? Like you do everything you can, but it still isn't good enough?"

He actually smiles for a moment, then nods a little. _Go on._ I continue, the words coming out like a torrent.

"When Dove said those words to me, it wasn't just my rage at him. It was my pent-up anger against everything. My people have done nothing wrong, but they're treated almost as bad as the Faunus. Vale, this nation, was built from the blood and toil of Eastern immigrants! For every kilometer of railroad, twenty of us died! It's simply unfair that I still have to put up with this bullshit from people like Cardin and Dove! Then there's the fact that even when I deserved to come to Beacon just as much as everyone else here, but I'm discriminated like no tomorrow. I…I…I don't understand. I'm a failure to my family, to my friends, to my people. With that outburst…I don't think I deserve to be here at Beacon."

Jaune just sat there, uncharacteristically silent. His lips were pursed, as if thinking deeply. I'm about to check if he's still here on planet Vytal when he responds, speaking slowly and quietly.

"It's okay. I feel the same way. All my life, I've been living in the shadow of my ancestors. My grandmother was _the_ Jean D'Arc, leader of the Vernean army during the Great War. My father was a King's Musketeer, and had the most Grimm kills of any soldier alive. And me? I'm just the lovable idiot that nobody cares about. You're not a failure, Ren. You're just capable of getting better. Don't let those assholes get a rise out of you. Just keep focused on why you're here. You of all people deserve to be here. Your fighting skills are amazing, and your academics are not much further behind. …You deserve it more than me, anyways."

His eyes are hopeful, and I know he means it. But deep down within him, I sense that not all is well inside Jaune D'Arc. Perhaps now's not the time to go too in-depth, though. Hmm…quick, change the subject!

"Thanks, Jaune. I really needed that. Um…I don't suppose you've seen Blake? I think I owe her an apology, of sorts. Or at the very least, an explanation."

"Haven't seen her. You might want to check the library, though. That's where she usually is."

I nod my thanks, picking up my bag and taking a step out the door.

"Oh, and Ren?"

I turn to face him, one eyebrow raised.

"Go get her for me."

I blush hard, and quickly flip him off before turning back and exiting the door. I can hear his chuckles down the hall as I run, dodging students and staff with equal abandon. Damn. Was I _that_ obvious about liking her? Great. Now our 'glorious leader' knows all my secrets. Okay, well, not all of them. But the vast majority, which is bad enough.

But right now, all I can focus on is Blake. Blake, beautiful Blake. My little dark angel. Blake…

I stumble to a halt just outside the library, taking a moment to catch my breath before gently easing the doors open. A mousy-looking lady looks up from the librarian's desk, her face in what seems to be a perpetual scowl, pointing at the 'quiet' sign and then turning back to her engrossing knitting. I pointedly ignore her, scanning the aisles for a distinctive black bow.

Not in the sci-fi section, not in the history section, not in the romance section…where could she be? I check row after row, but there's no sign of my partner. I sigh in defeat, slumping my shoulders and trudging out of the library. I'm just about to exit when I hear something particularly interesting on the radio. I motion to the librarian to turn it up, and she rolls her eyes but complies.

"—_Back to our live coverage of Prime Minister Saymer Ferry's press conference. His announcement should start in just a few seconds. We bring you to our man at the scene, Francis DeSouza. Here's to you, Francis."_

"_Thanks Diane. Ferry's address to the Valian League is beginning right now, and although the contents of the speech are unknown, we can make many guesses as to them. For instance, he may decla—wait. It's starting! Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. At 0930 local time, forces identified as White Fang members attacked a Schnee Dust Company mine in the central Valian territory. This kind of terrorism cannot, and will not be tolerated any longer. We WILL find these criminals, and we WILL bring them to justice. The Faunus need to learn how to coexist with us in peace, or failing that, the consequences of such a blatant attack upon Humanity. Thank you. …And that was Prime Minister Ferry's address to the Valian League. Back to you, Diane."_

I tune out the rest of the broadcast as I exit the library, thinking furiously. Menagerie is located in the East, near Khanisar and past the Wall. If Vale strikes at the Faunus, then the Eastern empires will be forced to respond or lose face. That would escalate into a full-scale war when the Valian League mobilizes in response. The result: another Great War. One that will spell the doom of Vytal, if it gets out of hand.

And what happens to Beacon, when loyalties come into question? Teammates will turn on each other, and the academy will descend into civil war. And the worst of it all: I can't do jackshit about it. But who's to gain from this? None of the kingdoms would come out of this intact, the Fang would be a write-off, and the SDC probably wouldn't survive long either.

I don't know, but one thing's for sure. If I intend to survive this, I might as well get ready. I run back to my room, unsure of what I'll find. As I pass through the halls, I already see tensions between the Faunus students and the Westerns. Insults are thrown across the campus, and it's easy to tell that this is going to erupt soon.

I just manage to skirt away from team CRDL, unsure if I really want to face them right now. Granted, they're probably busy tormenting some poor bunny-eared girl again, but taking chances was never my strong suit.

I get to the room after a quick run up the stairs, panting slightly but still alert. There, I'm greeted by words that sound hauntingly ominous.

"I fight for humanity."

Blake says the words slowly and carefully, as if afraid of what they mean. Pyrrha nods at her and steps into the room, with Blake following close behind. I hesitate in the middle of the hallway, freezing mid-step. No doubt that was a conversation about Ferry's latest address, but as to its contents? I'm the only Eastern student here in the team, so maybe I should be just a little bit worried about my teammates. But they couldn't consider me a threat…could they?

Then again, with my outburst earlier, it's hard to not expect them to have a contingency plan. I'm slightly disappointed, but mainly only with myself. They have every right to be worried about me becoming a liability. I'm a failure to myself and my team, and nothing anyone says can change that about me.

**Her**

I see a familiar green-clad boy hanging about in the hall just as I step into the doorway, looking down and slowly turning away. My heart stops for a moment as I stare. Nobody knows it yet, but if it comes to war…he might just be my people's greatest ally here in this academy.

"Coming, Blake?"

I turn back reluctantly, not wanting to take my eyes off of him.

"Coming, Pyrrha. Just…give me a moment."

I take a tentative step forwards, then another, doing my best not to make any noise as I creep over. His head is still down, bag slung messily over his shoulder. I take a deep breath, then another.

"Hey."

Ren turns, his fuchsia eyes flashing for a moment before becoming dull and resigned. He turns away faster this time, but I instinctively shoot my arm out to grab his shoulder. I try again.

"You okay?"

He sighs, and I die a little on the inside.

"I'm fine. I just…need to be left alone."

On that note, he gently brushes my hand off and walks away. I blush for a second at the hand contact, but thankfully come to my senses quickly and go after him.

"Ren, wait! I just want to talk!"

And I do, but he keeps walking. I pursue, my heels making hollow noises on the hardwood floor. I'm running now, trying to get ahead of him. He just walks, seemingly ignoring the world around him.

"Ren!"

There's quite a few students in the halls now, probably rushing to dinner. We're moving against the flow, and I'm dodging walking students every few paces or so. Ren keeps moving, ignoring my frantic calls.

"Ren!"

I follow him up the stairs, brushing past a small crowd of angry Faunus students. I hear some calls of 'For the Fang', but ignore them. Right now, all I'm focused on is chasing after my partner and just getting to him in time.

A door is flung open, and I dash through it. In my haste, I failed to notice that Ren was heading up to the roof. I took in the surroundings. This was…my corner, actually. But all that was thrown to the back of my mind with the sight of my partner standing near the ledge.

"I'm sorry for being such a failure, Blake. Goodbye."

"No! Ren, wait!"

Time seemed to flow in slow-motion as I leapt, even as he took a single tentative step off. I know deep down that I won't make it in time, but I refuse to believe myself. He drops slowly, his clothes billowing behind him and almost floating in the air. I _cannot_, I_ will not_ allow this to happen.

_Dammit Ren, why?_

Just before he drops out of sight, I take desperate measures. I've taken the precaution of staying, shall we say, _prepared_ in case anything ugly rises up in the school given the recent outrage. I take Gambol Shroud from its sheathe by my side, unravelling it quickly and swinging it like an oversized scythe.

The blade whips through the air, faster than the eye can see. It barely catches onto a shred of green cloth, arresting his fall with a sharp shock. Fastening my shroud to my wrist, I walk closer to the ledge, careful to wrap the excess cloth around my hand to keep it taut.

"Hey. You ready to talk now?"

**One hour later…**

"…and there you have it. I already told Jaune this, so I'm guessing Pyrrha also knows by now. You understand now how much of a failure I am?"

I think carefully over what Ren told me. He had opened up so much to me in the last hour, speaking of his problems in life and why he tried to end them. But there seemed to be more that he wasn't telling me…I sigh.

"Ren, you're not a failure. In fact, you're anything but. You made it here to Beacon, didn't you?"

"Of course I'm a failure! I can't even kill myself properly, let alone control myself. You know why my aura dropped so much this morning? Because I can't control it. With every blow, my aura was depleted just a little more. _I can't control myself. _Hell, I don't even deserve to be here at Beacon."

"Nonsense! I've seen you fight; you took down a King Taijitu! You managed to surprise a Beowolf, for crying out loud. If you don't deserve to be here, then nobody in this school does."

He remains silent for a moment, head bowed down and hands to his side. Suddenly he stands up from the ledge we've been sitting on, a shakily enough that I shoot out an arm to support him. He brushes it off, standing of his own accord. He takes a deep breath, and the words that follow surprise me.

"Where I come from, Xi'An, Aura users are discriminated against. Oh, not too openly, but enough. We're barred from most academics and fields of work, destined to die in combat for the sake of our glorious motherland. But my mother always told me to try to throw off the stereotypes that plagued my kind. So I applied to Xi'An University, after passing Lantern Academy with flying colours. I was accepted, and for once in my life it seemed as though the tide was changing. But then came the Civil Service Examination. I aced it, getting within the ninety-ninth percentile. I thought that I would make it, and that those stories about Aura users were merely stories. But then some low-level bureaucrat must have noticed that I was an A-Class user. I was denied entrance, and politely but firmly asked to join the Aura Corps. My parents were devastated, but I knew that they expected no different.

"I, however, had different plans. With the help of my childhood _gwai-lo_ friend Nora, I stowed away aboard a tanker headed for Vale. My scores at Lantern were high enough to guarantee me entrance to Beacon, with the one exception of my Aura control. You see, that simple lack of control was probably what had me denied entrance. So I forged some documents, faked signatures, and pulled what few strings I still could.

"And that, Blake, is how I came to be here at Beacon, and most definitely why I don't deserve to be here. I'm a failure to my family, I'm a failure to my people, and most of all…I'm a failure to my friends. I'm…I'm sorry Blake. If you wish to have me reassigned or expelled from Beacon, you're well within your rights to. I expect no different."

He looks saddened, and resigned to his fate. But I remember once feeling like him, once upon a time. While he's not looking, I steel myself. _Now or never Blake._ I slowly walk up to him before tapping him on the shoulder.

"Ren…don't worry. I've felt the same way. Ren…look at me."

Hands shaking, I reach up above my head. I slowly, hesitantly untie my bow, leaving the fragile black ribbon clenched in my hand. I hear a sharp intake of breath, but I do my best to ignore it. The words start flowing from my mind, filling the air with a song of sorrow.

"I was a member of the White Fang. You know, the terrorist group? I wasn't accepted to Beacon, either. My mentor, Adam…He pulled some strings in the government after I left them when they were becoming too violent. I don't know why he let me go, but he did. And because of his final act for me, I'm here instead of rummaging on the streets as a homeless Faunus girl.

"Look, Ren…it'll all be okay. Trust me on that. I'm not mad at you for faking your papers. You're here now, and that's all that matters. I can help you on controlling your aura, and maybe your inner anger as well. Please. Just…don't leave us. Don't leave me. …not again."

The tears well up unwanted, but I force them down. He stands there for a moment, and I stare at my feet, exhausted. I feel his strong arms embrace me warmly, and after a short startled pause I return the hug. We just stand there on the rooftop, entwined in our shared misery.

"It's alright Blake. I will stay. No more secrets."

I feel my heart skip a beat then pound harder, and I bury my face in his shoulder. We can stand here forever, alone on the rooftop with only the crisp autumn air to keep us company. And somewhere on campus, a lonely bell tolls twice.

**A/N: ALL ABOARD THE FEELS TRAIN! Okay, after watching Ep. 16 I just **_**had**_** to write an angsty chapter. So sue me! I apologize if I didn't accurately capture Blake, but as a teenage male, it's pretty damn hard to write from the perspective of a girl, even one as calm as Belladonna. Read, Review, and ENJOY!**

**-Rafen**


	8. Informational Intermission

**Setting: Black Dragon**

**Okay, so the next chapter should be up on Wednesday, as usual. I just wanted to write a little about the Vytal that I am creating. **

**Written as of in-universe 597 After Dust (AD)**

**VALIAN LEAGUE**

-Alliance of the Western Kingdoms

-Founded in 445 AD

**Vale**

-Founding member of the Valian League

-Capital city is also called Vale

-Based on North America (The city itself is based on Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

-Medium-sized army, relies more on commerce than anything else

-Biggest kingdom in the West

-Two-party Democracy (Federal Oligarchy)

**Mistral**

-Founding member of the Valian League

-Capital City is called Athenia

-Based on Greece/Roman Empire

-Strong martial traditions

-Mistral Legionnaires are some of the best soldiers in the world

-Republic

**Verneas**

-Joined Valian League in 475 AD

-Capital City is called Lutecia

-Based on medieval France

-Feudal system is still in place

-Monarchy

-Elite troops are known as Knights

**Nagarroth**

-Joined Valian League in 467 AD

-Capital city is also called Nagarroth

-Based on a more grimdark US (Specifically Vegas/Detroit/NYC/LA)

-Head of intelligence for the Valian League (Known as the Office of Nagarrothi Intelligence)

-Libertarian Anarchy

**Atlas**

-Joined Valian League in 513 AD

-Capital city is called Albion

-Based on Enlightenment Age Britain

-Recently gone through civil war, strong rivalry with Verneas

-Parliamentary Monarchy

-Large professional standing army

**EASTERN VYTAL TREATY ORGANIZATION**

-Alliance of the Eastern kingdoms

-Founded in 503 AD

**Xi'An**

-Founding member of the EVTO

-Capital city known as Heun Gon

-Based on China

-Main dialect is Kuongdonese (Shown as butchered Cantonese pinyin)

-Large standing army

-Discriminates against Aura users

-One of the oldest civilizations on Vytal

-Democratic People's Republic (Socialist Oligarchy)

**Kay'Dya**

-Founding member of the EVTO

-Capital city known as Prandia

-Based on mix of Russia, Japan, and China

-Large standing army, mainly conscripts

-Low proportion of Aura users, relies on technology light-years ahead

-Socialist Monarchy

**Khanisar**

-Joined EVTO in 514 AD

-Capital city is Samarkhan

-Based on Mongol Empire

-Strong nomadic tradition

-Historically raided Kay'Dya and Xi'An

-Recently undergone dramatic political change

-Best horsemen on Vytal

-Federal Monarchic Meritocracy

**Solaria**

-Joined EVTO in 517 AD

-Capital city also called Solaria

-Based on Japan mid-1700's

-Large percentage of Aura users

-On the brink of modern industrialization

-Strong sense of honour

-Turbulent past with Xi'An

-Small standing army, relies on peasant conscripts

-Feudal system still in place

-Divine Monarchy

**UNALIGNED**

**Menagerie**

-Faunus city just north of Khanisar

-Founded in 449, after the Faunus War

-Fairly strong ties with Xi'An and Solaria

-Largest concentration of Faunus on Vytal

-Autocratic Meritocracy (Rule yourself, essentially rebranded Communism)

**Valhalla**

-Neutral city near the northern islands

-Founded in 18 AD

-Based on Scandinavia

-Large percentage of Aura users

-Owners of one of the largest Dust deposits in the West

-Anarchical society

**ENTITIES**

**Schnee Dust Company**

-Founded in 452 AD by Regentrophen Schnee

-Main headquarters located in Vale

-Has butted heads with Valhalla in the past

-Largest independent Dust company in the world

**White Fang**

-Founded in 427 AD, before the Faunus War

-Strong ties with Valhalla and Menagerie

-Became violent in 439 AD with an aborted attack on Lutecia

-Founded to redress Faunus rights

-Has recently launched strikes against Dust manufacturers

**So there you have it! More of these chapters may be released, depending on what I introduce into the story. Until next time, enjoy!**

**-Rafen**


	9. Serendipity

**Black Dragon**

Chapter 7: _Serendipity_

"_I fight for the people, so that we can all live our lives. I fight for my ancestors, who gave their lives for the same cause. And I fight for my loved ones, so that they do not have to." –Jean D'Arc, before the Siege of Orleans, 440 AD_

**Him**

It's been three weeks since that evening on the rooftop. Three weeks of shouted threats across hallways, three weeks of unending and undeserved abuse from barbarians in the shape of people, and three weeks of simply enduring. I would not call it living, but it is indeed surviving. In those three weeks, though, nothing short of miraculous has happened. I've lost and regained my faith in humanity far too many times to count, and gained the trust and respect of those derided as mere animals. This, I will admit, was helped by my huge crush on my Faunus partner…

And, from what I've found out, the world isn't always black and white. I've made a leap of faith, and found refuge on the other side. But what I have truly found, however, is hope. A spark of hope, no matter how subtle, is enough to ignite an inferno of change. So perhaps I have had some new-found faith in this alien land, in the place where I least expected it.

I am not a failure, as I have learned, but simply a work-in-progress. Thank the Jade Emperor, not everyone is a bigoted idiot. My teammates have seemingly relaxed around me, although I sense a hint of wariness underneath. It's to be expected, of course. After all, we all have our fair share of secrets, some more incriminating than others.

Sighing, I shut my book as I get off my bed and walk over to my desk. Today's Sunday, so most of the students are probably off-campus. That gives me the whole day to myself, really. I turn on my laptop, watching as the swirling blue logo of Horizon Electronics fades in and out. I open up Horitech Design, and the blueprints for my Jade Dragons come up on the screen. I ignore them, opening up a new file. For the past few weeks, Blake and I have come up with various improvements on our weapons systems and armour, to help us better weather the oncoming storm. Most of my ideas have been total crap, ranging from a spear/bow design to a full-blown laser cannon. My littered desktop is proof of that, but there's always the chance that the next one is _the one_.

Imagination strikes, and my furious mouse clicks betray my excitement. Hmm…put a universal joint _here_ to allow it to fold in, let the sights double as a hand guard, and so on and so forth. The possibilities are endless, and I let the ideas flow through me. I've always needed to work on my penetration capabilities, seeing as Mistral, Atlas, Verneas, and Vale's Hunters tend to go for thick plate armour. Maybe if I allowed my aura to slightly enhance the shots…? That would give it an edge. Perhaps a longer barrel, for greater velocity and accuracy. But the problem with that would be a more unwieldy weapon overall.

So how to get the best of both worlds? Maybe if I place the action behind the trigger, or strengthened the blade, or—?

"Hey. So much for waiting for me before starting."

I turn around, startled, to be greeted by a pair of beautiful amber eyes.

"Oh. Hi Blake. Uh…sorry. Got a little carried away there…heh. Heh. So what's up?"

Man. That was awkward. My cheeks are a little warm, but with the terrible lighting in the room I'm hoping she doesn't notice.

"Mhmm. Just got back from the library. Had some nice ideas for weapons, too. Oh by the way, if you make that a bullpup design it'd work better."

She crosses the room in a second, reaching over to take the mouse and play around. Leaving me, however, in a rather untenable position. Not that I'm complaining that much. Her body is warm and soft, I note, even as she leans over my shoulder to help design a killing tool.

"…You know you're staring, right?"

Her smooth voice snaps me out of my reverie, and a small half-smile appears on her face. I give her a lopsided grin in response, before turning my attention on the screen before us. Somehow, in the half-minute (I hope) that I was distracted, my lovely Faunus partner managed to turn an unusable mess into a deadly weapon.

"Wha—? H-h-how?"

She laughs, the kind of little laugh that makes me want to swoon like a schoolgirl.

"You did most of the work already, honestly. All I did was make a few little changes. Nice idea with the hand guard and sights, by the way. Could use a bit more fine-tuning on the blade, but otherwise it's a good weapon."

I just sit there, eyes and mouth wide open.

"Wow. Uhm…yeah. Wow. Just from that…I'm a little scared as to what you have in mind for armour."

Her eyes twinkle a little before she opens up an image, her mouth in a small smirk. Oh, this isn't gonna end well…

…Or, maybe it is. I'm confronted by an image of a Kay'Dyan soldier, his half-face helmet cocked at a jaunty angle. His torso was covered by a heavily angled chestplate, while vaguely elongated octagonal pauldrons sat on either shoulder.

"Um…this is definitely _cool_, but I doubt it would work for my fighting style…"

"Oh, don't worry. We'll only be using the shoulder pads from this guy. If we use titanium and reinforce it with a bit of Dust, it should be able to protect you from most shots. Enlarge the left one, and it should give you a bit more protection when you're firing. You're right handed, right?"

I nod numbly, the plans still going through my head. She's got this all thought out, doesn't she? She continues, carried away in the visualization.

"As for the helmet, perhaps something with a smaller profile so it's harder to see. Needs to look intimidating, though, if you're gonna go in guns blazing. Hmm…full-face, maybe? Small-ish visor to minimize risks of headshots. Needs a good HUD system, then. How about…this one?"

I blink away the fuzziness that's brought on by a lack of coffee and stare at the piece of paper that Blake somehow found. On it is a crudely sketched design of an angular, streamlined helmet. That frontal wedge…for some reason it looks familiar. I raise an eyebrow questioningly, and she takes a short break from her monologue to respond.

"Okay, I kinda got the idea from the Office of Nagarrothi Intelligence whose files I raided. It never was put into production thanks to me. Well, thanks to me and its terribly high price. I made it a little thinner and more angular, though, to make it harder to hit. What do you think?"

Oh god. I swear, every day I fall more and more in love with her.

"It looks perfect. Good thing you don't care about copyright, huh?"

She exaggeratedly rolls her eyes and pouts, before smiling just a little.

"Oh, puh-lease! It's not like you didn't steal the rifle design from the RVB. Seriously, the sights were a dead giveaway."

And with that parting shot, she abruptly changes gears back to the professional Blake.

"Of course, you need a chestplate too. Not too bulky, obviously, otherwise you'd never manage to run and jump around. Hmm…try this one!"

I'm handed a picture of a fairly light two-piece plate of armour, ending at the midriff and lower back. It kinda looks like I could move about in it, but not that comfortably.

"Uh, sorry, but it's still too constrictive. Uh…maybe I could just wear a flak jacket underneath?"

She agrees readily enough, and we spend the rest of the afternoon mixing and matching colour palettes that would go with my armour. I went for green, as a matter of course, and she wanted quite a bit of black and white highlights. It took a while, but in the end we agreed on something that didn't quite make me look like a monstrosity.

"Well, that was fun. I've got a part-time job at the library, so I'll leave you to your fashion designing. See you later."

She gives me a little smile and a wave, and starts making her way to the door. I'm about to let her leave, but then I get an idea. _Only got one chance at this. Don't fuck it up._ My heart leaps into my throat for a moment, but I do my best to ignore it. I open my mouth, stuttering a little.

"Hey. Uh…Jaune and Pyrrha won't be back until late, so we'll be alone for dinner. I know this really good Mistrallian place over by King Street and…"

**Her**

"…um…you wanna go out tonight?"

Oh god. I nearly faint in pleasure. Is he…asking me out? _YES!_ Wait. Baby steps Blake, baby steps. After all, he's probably just asking as a friend…

But there's a chance, right? I notice him blushing a little, but my cheeks are starting to heat up a bit too. Oh, well. Might as well not leave the guy hanging.

"I'd love to Ren! I'll meet you at the gates at seven, okay?"

He nods, clearly relieved, and gives me a nervous grin.

"Great! So it's a date."

Scarcely after the sentence leaves my mouth I notice the poor word choice. Ah, fuck. I start stammering, trying to correct that unfortunate little phrase.

"Uh…th-tha-that's not what I meant. Or rather, what you think I said is not what I meant. I didn't mean like 'date' date, but more like 'meeting' date. Like friends, right?"

Oh gods this is awkward. Thankfully he puts me out of my misery with a simple sentence and a trademark grin.

"It's okay. Don't worry about it. See you in front."

I nod my assent and walk down the hallway, blushing furiously. Oh gods, what am I gonna wear? It's not gonna be too formal, right? Ugh. What did he say the place is called again? Le Fenetre? No. Um…La Fenice? Yeah, that sounds just about right.

I do a quick search of the place on my scroll, and—oh. Wow. How Ren is able to afford this on a student budget, I have no clue. Is…is that price even in Lien? Okay then…judging from the price, my normal clothes aren't gonna cut it. Time to go shopping…

I walk down to the garage, where the academy's vehicle fleet is parked. It's simply a matter of signing one out and driving off, setting my destination in the car's GPS. After that, it takes me a grand total of five seconds to rip out the school's mediocre tracking systems and subtly marking the car for my private use. After all, if I can hack them, can't somebody else?

I put in the address for the centre of town, trusting the machine to not drive off the cliffs or something. I sit back in the comfortable two-seater, relaxing and enjoying the view of the autumn midafternoon. All the leaves are red, dyeing the scene a pleasing deep crimson.

Beacon's only a few minutes away from downtown Vale, and I make it there in half the time thanks to a few…modifications. I get out near Yung-Dundee Square, telling the car to go fuck itself (okay, I told it to park. SAME THING.) and poking around for the nearest fashion store.

While I may not have had the most, shall I say _conventional_, of childhoods, I know well enough that what I wear for tonight matters quite a bit. I go through a multitude of stores, looking for the perfect dress. Some are too gaudy, others too conservative, and others still are far too revealing.

Oh gods, there's so many choices! But almost none of them are right for me…

I go into what seems like the twentieth store, prepared for yet more disappointment. After heading into the dresses department, I see what appears to be the perfect one. Only one problem: It's in pure, unadulterated _white_. Nope. Sighing, I head back out onto the streets. Looks like I gotta go find another store…

"Blake!"

Huh? I turn around, seeing a flash of red, white, yellow, and pink. What could it—? Oh. Oh fuck, this is not going to end well…

"Blakey!"

I'm tackled to the ground by an overly hyper red ball of fluff, while a girl clad in white stands off to the side with her chin held high.

"Gah! Get off of me you fiend!"

Ruby eventually complies, leaving me flustered and dishevelled. I quickly straighten my clothing, trying to get back a bit of dignity. I give Schnee a quick nod, pass over Nora, and give Yang a firm handshake. Ruby just stands in a corner, laughing as she tries desperately to apologize. I roll my eyes, then turn back to Yang.

"So, team RYSN. What brings you here?"

Ruby jumps in between us, blurting out and nearly giving me a heart attack.

"We're gone SHOPPING! You?"

"Ugh. Likewise. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be off…"

I try to step back, keeping as far away from the Valkyrie as possible. Just before I turn, a remarkably strong hand settles on my shoulder. I sigh exasperatedly, but acknowledge the blonde trying to stop me.

"Hold it right there Belladonna. If you're shopping for clothes…we're helping you. And Weissey over here is paying!"

The Schnee heiress starts spluttering indignantly, but the rest of her team simply drags her along. I'm led by the wrist by Yang, pushed into the nearest store and forced into the dress section.

"B-b-but…this is a_ Vespucci_ store!"

She ignores my protests with a wink and a gesture at a fuming Weiss, and all of a sudden I'm pushed into a changeroom. Dresses are thrown over the door, and Yang yells something about putting them on or she's chucking in a grenade.

Suitably threatened, I comply. Honestly, who the hell picked these? Judging from the rather er…_revealing_ nature of most of the clothes…I desperately need a talk with Yang. Thankfully, Weiss picks up on her partner's plan and puts a stop to it, introducing the blonde to the concept of 'decency'. Which, of course, somehow ended up in a shouting match and all of us being kicked out of the store.

On the bright side, I learned not to let Yang pick out my clothes for me.

"If I'm paying for your stuff, I should have a say in what you buy. Hmph!"

And with that little gem, the heiress drags me into yet another fashion outlet.

"Um…Weiss…this stuff is _Joria Remani!_ And that's a _Cuisson_ handbag!"

She carries on as if I wasn't protesting, pausing only to hand me a simple black dress. Strapless, mid-thigh cut. That's followed by a fuzzy scarf, in the same colour.

"Blake, stop being so dramatic. This is well within my budget. Now shut up and try it on before I change my mind."

Well that was a pleasant change from the usual 'It's heiress, actually' act. I step into the changerooms, taking care to lock the door. I leave the bow on as a matter of course, but otherwise shrug off my clothes and step into the dress. I don't remember wearing anything like this for…a long time. Not since I was a little girl, actually. The memories come flooding back to me, memories of a time before I had to lie to live.

The tears spring unbidden to my eyes, and I try to force them down. No. I will not allow the past to ruin the present. And the thing is…I've never felt this way about anybody before. I know it seems immature, but I think I really like Ren. With that said, I'm not sure if he likes me back or not. Hence the dress, as I really want to make a (good) lasting impression. After all, there's always a chance, right?

Thankfully the dress fits perfectly, and the accessories that Weiss handed to me go wonderfully with it. I change back into my normal clothes, carefully folding the dress and stepping outside. I thank Weiss profusely, but she responds merely with a curt nod and a handshake. She murmurs something about Ruby and Nora at a bakery, so I bid my farewells to the two girls that are present.

Yang of course gives me a big hug, along with a whispered "Go get him tiger!" I blush profusely, but return the hug and quickly make my way back to the car. Crap. It's 6:30. The dinner's at 7, so…I mess around with the car's settings for a second before punching in the coordinates for Beacon.

The vehicle goes normally in the city, but with my modifications, it somehow can hit almost 200 on the highway. It's a good thing that the road to the academy is mostly empty this time of the year, otherwise I'd be stuck in gridlock for quite a while. As it were, I manage to get to the front gates fifteen minutes later.

I hurriedly run up to the room, swiping my scroll then throwing it onto my bed. After a quick check to make sure the room's empty, I take off my combat clothes and pull on the dress. I sling the scarf half-heartedly over one shoulder, then head into the washroom to adjust my purple eyeliner. Unlike most girls, I don't care much for makeup. The eyeliner is my one concession to fashion and common sense, as otherwise I'd be happy to just not bother with it. For tonight, though…perhaps a bit of lipstick and blush is in order? Not too much, of course, but might as well make a good impression.

I swiftly move a bunch of stuff into the new handbag that Weiss bought me, deciding at the last moment to throw in a book and my scroll. I ditch the jewellery, though, as that would honestly be a little much. With that, I sprint out of the room and down the staircase towards the front gates. I had finished my last-minute preparations with literally seconds to spare, so I'm a little worried about being late. But I'm not too worried, as I can recall some saying about a girl being 'fashionably late'.

Thankfully, Ren doesn't seem to mind. I see him waiting patiently by the front, flipping through his little book and leaning against a black sports car. That can't be his…can it?

He looks up just as I step into sight, and he gives me another heart-aching smile. I grin back, then speed up my pace a little. As I get closer he whistles in what seems to be awe, and I blush hard.

He helps me into the car, and I blush just a little more at the hand contact. He gets into the driver's seat next to me, and I can see his cheeks are equally red.

"Hey. Wanna go for a drive?"

I nod shyly, and he starts it up.

I don't care what is happening in the world around us. Tonight, it's just the two of us, and the fallen crimson leaves drifting through the wind.

**A/N: Yeah. As for the last *real* chapter that I uploaded, I **_**DID**_** say that Blake needed a hug, right? ^^ Anyways, thanks to BlazingKaiogra for that enthusiastic review. As for TheDelta724, I wholeheartedly agree, except that the hockey team is the least of our worries considering Ford…**

**Creds to ToDustWeReturn for allowing me to quote his story 'RWBY: Secret of the Auras' for the epigraph. **

**Until next time, read, review, and ENJOY!**

**-Rafen**


	10. Dulce et Decorum Est-Part I

**Black Dragon**

Chapter 8: _Dulce et Decorum Est-Part 1_

"_愛是由一個單一的靈魂棲息兩個機構__.__" (Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies) -Aristotle_

* * *

**Him**

I get into the driver's seat beside Blake, giving her a shy grin and revving up the engine.

"Hey. Wanna go for a ride?"

She nods, and I floor it. We sit there in silence for around fifteen minutes, merely enjoying the scenery and each other's company. I find it amazing that a girl like her would even agree to go out with a guy like me, but hey. There's a first for everything, right?

I can hear her humming along with the song on the radio, and I smile a little before turning it up. The song seems pretty familiar, though I can't really place it. It sounds a little depressing, honestly, but with a past like ours it's probably for the best.

_I have nothing left to give._

_I have found the perfect end._

_You were made to make it hurt…_

_Disappear into the dirt._

By here, her amber eyes are glistening with tears, and I can feel mine starting to get moister.

_Carry me to heaven's arms,_

_Live forever, drag me down!_

_I will fight for one last breath,_

_I will fight until the end._

For some reason, her fists are slightly clenched, and I gently ease my hand into hers. My heart is pounding harder than ever, but she doesn't appear to notice. Then, after a split second, she squeezes my hand and I do a little victory dance inside my head.

_And I will find the enemy within…_

_Cause I can feel it crawl beneath my skin!_

_Dear agony,_

_Don't let go of me…_

_I'm so sorry,_

_Is this the way it's gotta be?_

_Dear agony…_

She's openly in tears by the end of the song, and I pull over onto the shoulder to comfort her.

"There, there. Blake? It's all in the past. It's okay."

She sobs softly on my shoulder, and I pat her back as I hold her. We just sit there, in the car on the side of the road, with only tears and the night as company.

After a good ten minutes or so, the tears come slower, and she gradually lets go of me. Then, seemingly just realizing our position, a deep blush colours her cheeks.

"You okay now? C'mon, let's get to our little date."

I give her a wink and a lopsided grin, and for once she smiles back. It's not much, but it's something. I nod, then gun the engine. I hit the accelerator, and we're off.

The souped-up Ferrari, black with green highlights, is capable of reaching three hundred kilometres per hour. We definitely didn't reach it that night, but we surely got pretty damn close. The streetlights grow in number as we approach downtown Vale, flitting by like fireflies high in the air.

I eventually have to let off on the engine, turning off of the highway and onto King. Damn traffic. After that, the hardest thing to do is finding a parking space. After searching in vain, I eventually give up and stop the car in front of the restaurant. I get out first, nearly getting hit by a passing truck but managing to jump to the side just in time. I brush off my suit jacket, walking around the car to open up Blake's door.

I hold out her hand, and she takes it. We both blush, but I help her out of the car and gently close the door. I tell the car to autopark with my scroll then we both stroll into La Fenice.

Ever the unruly gentleman, I hold the door open for Blake as we enter. She gives me a little half-smile, and walks in by my side.

"_Bonjourno,_ Sir and Madam, and welcome to La Fenice Mistrallian restaurant. If I may show you to your table?"

The waiter gives a little bow and motions us to follow him, weaving a path through the multitude of people inside.

The interior of the restaurant is certainly upscale, reminiscent of the late 300's. The walls were painted the shade of beige that's supposed to bring about a romantic atmosphere, miniature chandeliers hanging over every wooden table. The chairs looked as though they were a hundred years old, yet the wood was polished to perfection. All in all, the standard high-class restaurant that most students had no right to afford. Then again, most students shouldn't have the right to drive a Ferrari 420 Blaze, either.

The little waiter stops at a tiny table, a lone candle sitting atop its surface. His miniature moustache quivering, he quickly hands us each a menu before making yet another bow and marching off.

I help Blake to her chair, then sit down across from her. I gently flip open the menu, doing my best not to cringe at the prices. _Fifteen Lien for a salad alone? I'm almost afraid to see how much an entrée costs here…_

Not a second later, the same little waiter appears by my side.

"Drinks, sir? Madam?"

After getting over my initial shock and startled surprise, I give Blake a questioning look. She simply shrugs, and I turn back to the guy.

"Um…two glasses of red Sauvignon, please. Preferably from before 590 AD."

"I'm afraid that Sir will have to show me some identification before such an order may be placed as the legal age here in _Vale_ is nineteen. Sir _does_ have identification, yes?"

I resist the urge to give the man an elbow in the crotch for that little remark, instead pulling out my forged Vale citizenship card and giving him a pointed look. His eyes widen, but he gives another little bow before dashing off.

I turn back to Blake, one of her eyebrows raised curiously.

"So, Ren. Just out of curiosity, since you're clearly not nineteen…where did you get the ID?"

I give a little nervous laugh glancing quickly around the restaurant to make sure that little man isn't nearby.

"Er…you see…when you're onboard a cargo ship for a few months…you get busy. Busy enough to get a half-million Lien 'research grant' from the Kay'Dyan government, or to forge a Valian citizenship, or both. Heh. Heh."

She gives me another of her half-smiles that make me want to just sweep her off her feet and kiss her, but thankfully I manage to restrain myself.

"If you'll excuse me, Blake. I kinda need to go to the little dragons' room…"

She rolls her eyes, but nods and starts pulling out a book from her purse. Thus excused, I stand up and manage to dodge a rich couple that look like they're from Valhalla. The man mutters something about _gottverdammter schweinehunde_, but passes by me without incident. Judging by the way he said that…he's lucky I don't speak his language.

I walk past tables full of dining couples, noting the dirty looks that are shot my way when they think I'm not looking. Most of the people here are either Western, rich, or both. As such, a middle-class Eastern kid stands out pretty well, which isn't really a good thing for me. On the bright side, considering how terribly they treat their Faunus workers, it's a good thing that Blake never takes off her bow.

Just squeezing past a group of laughing heiresses and trying not to look surprised that Weiss isn't with them, I open the doors into the washroom. Which, judging from the amount of things thrown at me, wasn't the men's one. I beat a hasty retreat, apologizing profusely before running into the washroom opposite.

I stand in front of the sink, splashing some water on my face before looking myself in the mirror.

"Dammit Ren, what are you doing? How do you know she's even into you? It's not like she's dropped many hints or anything. Maybe I'm just stuck in the friendzone, and I don't even know it yet…"

From the other side of the sinks (it's a large washroom.), I hear a familiar voice continuing on the same lines as I am. Intrigued, I stop my moaning and self-pity just for a second to listen in on him.

"…but there's a chance, right? Pyrrha might like me…maybe. But she agreed to this, right?"

I walk around the partition, tapping him on the shoulder and greeting a surprised Jaune face-to-face.

"Wha—? Ren! What are you doing here?!"

"Er…I'm on a date-that's-not-a-date with Blake. You?"

"Same, with Pyrrha. Er…this is weird."

I nod agreement, then think. Huh. Now that I think about it, I've never really had that many guy friends. This one poor, poor boy just might be…time to implement plan B.

"Hey, Jaune. Under Article 13 **(1)** of the Bro Code, I hereby dub myself your wingman and you mine. Agree?"

His face becomes a mask of surprise, confusion, and startled confusion, after taking about two seconds to process the information.

"Uh…what?"

I roll my eyes, then place both hands on his shoulders.

"…Do you honestly have no idea what the Bro Code is?"

He nods, and I do my best not to shake our fearless leader back and forth and inevitably accidentally break his neck. Instead, I let out an exasperated sigh and start explaining.

"It's a code of behaviour to members of the male species, written by one of Vale's greatest philosophers. Article 1: Bros before ho's…although in this situation I think we can let that one slide just a bit. Article 2: A Bro is always entitled to do something stupid, as long as all the other Bros are doing it. Article 3…"

I continue along this line for quite a while, pausing only to make sure the blond is paying attention. Eventually, we get through all 150 articles of the Code, and he's left there stupefied. Not like I care too much, of course.

"…So there you have it. Now go outside, and let's get these dates done. Good luck, buddy. Oh, and one more thing: Not a word of this to anyone else: got that?"

He nods numbly, and I sigh again. I check my green tie in the mirror, then adjust his just a little. Satisfied, I move my hands away from his neck and gain a sigh of relief from him.

I practically drag him outside with me, though once he gets inside the restaurant proper he seems to recover his bearings. I walk over to our table, Jaune and Pyrrha apparently having taken the one next to ours. Oh boy, this is gonna be awkward. Then again, considering how socially inept Jaune can be, this might just be sheer entertainment.

Blake simply looks towards me, her piercing amber eyes still captivating as ever. She sighs, then closes her book and takes a sip of her water. Just then, the same annoying little waiter appears with a bottle of the restaurant's best Sauvignon, placing it on the table and then disappearing off to who-knows-where.

I pop the cork, delicately pouring first Blake a glass, then myself. She accepts it gracefully, and we clink our glasses together before taking a small sip. It's good stuff, fruity with hints of earthiness and a slight smoky flavour. We spend a moment savouring the wine, Jaune and Pyrrha staring at us in amazement. I don't even take my eyes off of Blake's for a moment, instead vaguely waving my fake citizenship card at the pair.

Eventually, the little man shows up again, his moustache as hyperactive as ever. We order a whole grilled tuna fillet and a small plate of spaghetti, Blake's bow twitching as I order the fish. After he leaves, she turns back to me.

"How did you know…?"

"That it was your favourite? Oh, I made an educated guess. Did I guess right?"

She dips her head, then takes another small sip of her wine. Beside us, Pyrrha stares deeply into Jaune's eyes as he recounts a story of his ancestors and how bad he is compared to them, although I doubt she's paying that much attention judging by the small amount of drool around her mouth.

The food comes eventually, actually faster than our wine showed up I drily note. Blake shares it out between us as I admire her delicate movements, slowly cutting apart the fish with clearly visible relish.

"_Sik fan!" _

She gives me a look, but digs in nonetheless.

"Er…it's a Xi'anese tradition. Sorry. Enjoy!"

I take a bite of the fish, my eyes widening at the rich flavour. The chef put just the right amount of lime in the marinade, giving it a delightful sour-sweet-salty taste. From across the table, it's plain that Blake's enjoying it just as much as I am.

I get a forkful of the spaghetti next, marvelling at the smooth texture of the tomato sauce and the hint of saltiness from the Parmesan cheese. The pasta itself seems to be made by the gods themselves, having a firm yet soft feel to them. I try and fail to prevent myself from gorging on the food, Blake having far better self-restraint than me.

We talk of our pasts, of things that we normally wouldn't say a word of to anybody else. After all, we have to trust each other with our lives. As I promised three weeks earlier: no more secrets. So out comes the truth, and with it a better sense of understanding. Honestly, where was this beautiful girl all my life? I'm definitely glad that I met her, let alone had the balls to ask her out. Now the question is: does she like me back? Judging from her agreement to this 'date that's not a date', I'm swayed to the 'yes' side, but it doesn't hurt to be sure, right? Ah, well. A bit more time waiting won't exactly kill me.

I return to savouring our food, making the occasional literary joke or remark but otherwise focusing on the plate in front of me.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and we eventually finish off the dishes we ordered. Just as I put down the fork, the waiter shows up again with the menus.

"Desserts, sir? Madam?"

After a quick look, we choose to order a chocolate and raspberry _Tartufo_, or chocolate ice cream with a raspberry centre. The treat is a Mistrallian favourite, and somehow costs as much as half an entrée. On the side, I get myself a cup of Earl Grey, Blake ordering a pure black coffee.

I see Jaune demolishing a cake, Pyrrha alternating between laughing and crying at the hilarity. Our food arrives to much less celebration, a spoon poking out of either side of the ice cream. It's enough for Blake, though, who eagerly takes the first inquisitive bite. Chuckling, I follow, letting the flavour explode across my tongue.

She gives me a little smile as we finish, and I, ever the gentleman, offer her the last spoonful. She accepts, and I decide to go a little further by feeding it to her myself. She laughs a little, only for her mouth to be filled with chocolate ice cream.

Now it's my turn to laugh as she tries to turn her blushing smile into a pout, and she half-heartedly makes as if to throw the spoon at me.

Sadly, the moment is ruined as the waiter shows up again with the bill. There's a kind of tiny smirk on his face as I take it from him, and I quickly understand why. Holy shit…is this in Lien? In total, the price came up to _L_110.98, not counting the hefty 13% tax. Thankfully, I hadn't blown all of my 'hard earned' cash, although it certainly took a bite out of it.

I fight back the urge to be a prick, and instead give the man a fifteen percent tip. Not the minimum, but far from what I would usually give. Given the waiter's pitiful excuse for customer service, he gets about twenty bucks instead. Ah, well. He can't really complain. After all, I _am_ a poor Xi'anese student, right?

I help Blake to her feet as we leave, Jaune and Pyrrha staying behind a little longer to talk. I call the car over with my scroll, and grab a seat on a bench in the square.

"Sorry, might be a while before the car gets here."

Just when I say that, a familiar black-and-green Ferrari 420 Blaze pulls up by the curb, flashing its lights and honking once.

"…or maybe not…"

The ride back to Beacon is filled with silence, each of us content to just be together. I leave the radio off, keeping one hand on the wheel and the other on hers.

We get to the Academy some time after 9:30, and I wheel the car into the front loop. I get out and hold the door open for Blake, helping her out of the vehicle and accompanying her past the gates. The statues in the gardens stand like silent sentinels, swords held out as if in preparation for the coming war.

I walk Blake to our room, her hand in mine. We stroll past some of the other students, wolf whistles resounding across the hall. We ignore them, however, climbing the stairs and making it to the dorm.

I hold the door open for her, motioning her in.

"The car's kind of a rental from my cousin who runs a dealership downtown, so I gotta go return it now. I'll be back in half an hour."

I turn around, ready to leave, when I hear her soft voice behind me.

"Ren, wait! I just wanted to say…I had a lot of fun tonight. Thanks, Ren."

As I turn, I feel a pair of gentle, soft lips on my cheek. I put my hand to my face, blushing. Blake is equally red, and she gives me a tiny smile before closing the door. I just stand there in the hall for a moment, flushing and thinking.

Hey. I could make this work.

* * *

**A/N: Yeah. I felt like having a feels chapter. ^^ Blake's POV will be in Dulce et Decorum Est Part 2 (next chapter), uploaded on Wednesday the 20****th****. As for Ren's stuff as described last chapter, his shoulder pauldrons are like the ones used by Halo ODST's, and his gun is based off of the QBZ-95 and the Halo Battle Rifle. Lastly, Dulce et Decorum Est means 'It is sweet and right' in Latin. True story.**

**Shadic1978: Thank you for your enthusiasm and your dedication to this fic. ^^**

**Husker75bsg: Gratitude, and to be honest I got the idea for this fic because my friend hated the pairing :)**

**Athan StarClimber: Er…sadly, I've never actually been on Deviantart…*hides under rock* but I've seen the line used in a lot of Bumblebee fanfics, so I decided to 'steal' it. Sue me.**

**(1) I got this from the website by Neil Patrick Harris. Other Bro Codes have different numbering systems for this, although the Wingman tradition is present throughout them all.**

**As always, read, review, and ENJOY!**

**-Rafen**

**PS: FOLLOWS FOR THE FOLLOW GOD! REVIEWS FOR THE REVIEW THRONE! LET MY FANFICTIONS GROW! (Brought to you by Tzeetnch Incorporated, a division of Chaos Undivided. All rights reserved.)**


	11. Another Informational Intermission

**A/N: Okay, writer's block is killing me right now, so Dulce et Decorum Est Part II will be out on Saturday. I apologize, although I maintain that writing from the perspective of a girl is rather difficult for a teenage male (or any male for that matter). Until then, I leave you with this.**

**-Rafen**

* * *

**Black Dragon**

**An Informational Intermission-2**

"_I know not with what weapons a second Great War will be fought with, but I know that the third shall be fought with sticks and stones." –Sven Schteiner, 459 AD_

* * *

**Weapons and Vehicles of Vytal**

Aside from the unique weapons used by Hunters and Huntresses, the militaries and paramilitaries of Vytal are armed with a multitude of tools of destruction.

Melee combat is as prevalent as ranged warfare, reliable armoured vehicles being countered by advances in infantry armour and anti-tank weaponry.

The majority of technologies on Vytal are based on nature's wrath, other known as Dust. Dust is a large part of most things, being used from anywhere like fuel for vehicles to weapons-grade explosives. As such, nations that have reliable access to Dust like Valhalla and Kay'Dya are amongst the most advanced in the world.

* * *

**Weapons of Xi'An**

RVB93: The standard service rifle of the Xi'Anese Liberation Army, the RVB was introduced in 593 AD. It features a bullpup design, with the magazine and action being placed behind the trigger. This results in a longer barrel, along with higher muzzle velocity and a flatter trajectory.

M6R: The M6R is a large-calibre pistol, used by officers of the XLA. It is considered one of the finest pistols in the East, firing large rounds at high velocities and good accuracy. However, it suffers from a small magazine and poor accuracy at longer ranges.

Guan'Dao: The Guan'Dao is a bladed polearm, designed primarily for slashing and less so for stabbing. It is mostly used by members of the XLA Cavalry, employed when running down scattered and retreating infantry.

Jian: While most swords in the West are built for stabbing and strong two-handed blows, the Xi'Anese Jian is an atypical shortsword designed for one-handed wielding. It has a rounded tip rather than a point, although recent developments in nanotechnology has resulted in a near-monomolecular edge that is capable of cutting all but the strongest substances.

* * *

**Weapons of Kay'Dya**

M36-LR: Kay'Dyan citizens are generally non-aura-capable, instead relying on advanced technology. The M36 is no different, utilizing a short burst of energy rather than conventional projectiles. This results in a small explosion on the surface of the target, due to the flash-evaporation of any moisture present. The thermal power of the M36 is extremely high on some settings, capable of punching through up to three centimetres of titanium plating. The only drawback of the M36 is its low rate of fire, owing to the potential of overheating. Referred colloquially as a 'lasgun'.

Vulture Attack Gunship: Much like the Dustplanes used by civilians the Vulture is a single-engine VTOL-capable gunship, heavily armed with a multitude of missiles and cannon. Its payload can be exchanged for every mission, although passengers cannot be carried due to the engine taking up the majority of the fuselage. The scream of a Vulture is feared by many as a sign of impending doom, although it is lightly armed for anti-air defence and as such is a dedicated ground-attack vehicle.

Type-81 Phantom: The Phantom is a highly advanced troop transport, capable of carrying two fully-equipped fireteams without much trouble. It is armed with a chin-mounted chaingun and a pair of grenade launchers in each side door, although these weapons can be switched out quickly as needs dictate. It utilizes an advanced Dust-powered VTOL drive, propelling the vehicle via the forced ejection of particles.

* * *

**Weapons of Valhalla**

Valkyrie Airborne Carrier: The Valkyrie shares the same design as the Kay'Dyan Vulture, leading many to believe that the premise was stolen. It utilizes the same twin-tail boom design to save weight, along with the same basic chassis. However, the Valkyrie has two smaller engines mounted atop and to either side of the fuselage, instead using the space to carry a squad of heavily-armed infantry. It is heavily armed for a transport, however, sporting two missile hardpoints and a variety of wing and chin-mounted weaponry.

Vendetta Assault Gunship: The Vendetta is an upgunned version of the Valkyrie, having the exact same troop capacity as its sister craft but armed with multiple wing-mounted particle cannons. This vehicle is perfect for air superiority and making strafing runs on heavily armoured land-based targets, being the more offense-oriented version of the Valk. However, the cannons that it is armed with are extremely expensive and difficult to make, so the majority of the Valhallan fleet are usually Valkyries.

Mjolnir-Pattern Gauss Rifle: Based on the premise of firing a projectile through the use of multiple electromagnets, the MGR is a weapon designed for destroying heavy infantry and light vehicles. It fires a tungsten dart at significantly high speeds, capable of punching through multiple sheets of titanium plating. However, it is vulnerable to overheating due to the friction caused by the projectile.

* * *

**Weapons of Atlas**

Centurion Mark V AFV: The Centurion is a heavily armoured land vehicle propelled via a pair of primitive tracks and wheels. However, it is an absolute beast in combat, capable of withstanding multiple blasts from particle cannons and railguns. Earlier vehicles resembling the Centurion have been unsuccessful, although other nations have begun researching counterparts to the Mark V.

Supermarine Harasser: Unlike conventional Dustplanes that are capable of VTOL flight and hovering the Harasser is built purely for speed. It has the advantage in that the majority of its weight can be used for fuel and armament rather than a large and clunky rotating fan. Used properly as close air support and in intercepting enemy formations without warning, the Harasser is a deadly aircraft that can destroy entire convoys of VTOL craft.

Louis-Bren Gatling Gun: Based on the premise that more bullets=better, the Bren gun is a support weapon that is issued to every squad in the Atlean Army. It can be used to great effect in suppressing enemy infantry, although the relatively small size of its bullets makes it utterly useless against heavily-armoured enemies such as Vernean Knights.

* * *

**Weapons of Vale**

V7-R: The V7 is the standard-issue rifle across much of the Valian League, having robust structure, high accuracy, good muzzle velocity, and a fairly high rate of fire. While hopelessly outclassed by the Xi'Anese RVB93, the V7 is much easier to produce and maintain. As such, it is still in service to this day despite its introduction fifty years ago.

Hellhammer Assault Gun: Mounting a frankly ridiculous amount of weaponry on a large chassis, the Hellhammer is considered by many to be the ultimate assault vehicle. While its fixed main gun hinders in urban warfare, the sheer multitude of secondary weapons affixed to its hull generally puts paid to these fears. It is armed with a large-bore main cannon with limited traverse, capable of bringing down the average apartment building and utterly annihilating armies. In a pair of side turrets and sponsons, it mounts a pair of railguns meant for destroying vehicles at long range. Under those are placed a small selection of chainguns, essentially turning attacking infantry into fine red mist. Parked in a position and supported with minimal infantry, that area is now _Defended._

AK-130 Android: The people of Vale are generally unversed in the ways of war, historically bribing away would-be conquerors and then hiring mercenary armies to stab said conquerors in the back when they are busy elsewhere. As such, it should come as little surprise that the first combat automaton was created in Vale. Equipped with a pair of arm-mounted light machine guns and wrist blades, the AK-130 is the latest in a long and convoluted line of death-dealing machines. While the android is generally considered to be a terrible combatant, the Fruitcup Corporation wholeheartedly mass-produces it, leading many to accuse them as 'merchants of death'. Nonetheless, these androids are used _en masse_ by almost every private security firm and nation in the world, and Vale employs them as essentially the largest speedbump in existence.

* * *

**Weapons of Nagarroth**

Shadowsword: The preferred weapon of operatives in the employ of the Office of Nagarrothi Intelligence, the Shadowsword is both reviled and revered by many, most often in the same sentence. It is rumoured to be able to kill the Titans of ancient myths, and quite possibly the Gods themselves. It consists of a pure black blade imbued with black Dust, which lowers the blade's visibility. There is no crossbar between the blade and its handle, instead replacing it with a near-invisible trigger guard. Said blade is capable of transforming into a full-blown sniper rifle, albeit with somewhat poor penetration power. ONI field agents are trained to aim for weak points in a target's armour, to minimize the impact of the weapon's only drawback. If there is an assassination anywhere on Vytal, chances are that a Shadowsword was used to strike the killing blow.

* * *

**This concludes my brief analysis of the weapons used by many of our world's great powers. A more in-depth report on the smaller kingdoms shall be forthcoming, and I shall be in touch with you should any more information be required. Good luck, Blake.**

**For the Fang, for Menagerie, and for the Faunus!**

**-Eve Taurus, White Fang Operative**

**November 19****th****, 597 AD**

**This message was sent from an unknown source. Nortonius Anti-Daemonware M41 strongly recommends that it be deleted in its entirety.**


	12. Dulce et Decorum Est-Part II

**A/N: K, so I wrote this while listening to 'Wings' by Jeff Williams from the RWBY Soundtrack, (while in the middle of class. Sue me. .-.) so apologies if the chapter seems a little gushy XD. Also, if I don't update soon, it will be because my angry RenxNora-shipping friends threw me out of the window in our high school. Enjoy!**

**-Rafen**

* * *

**Black Dragon**

Chapter 9: _Dulce et Decorum Est-Part 2_

"_Bella gerant alii. Tu felix Atlas, nube." (Let others wage war. You, fortunate Atlas, marry.) –King Matthias the Lionhearted, 213 AD_

* * *

**Her**

Wow. That was…a thing. I can't figure out where I got the courage to kiss Ren from, but I certainly like it. That date was _amazing_, even if the waiter was a little stuffy. Oh, well. As a side note, I saw around twenty people there that were or are on a White Fang hit list. …It's probably not a good idea to go there too often…

I sit there on my bed for a while, thinking. It's not too late in the night, and I really want to pay back Ren for the dinner. I turn on his laptop on his desk, thanking the gods that he doesn't have a password on the thing. I ignore his large library of games, instead opening up Horitech Designs.

The blueprints for a few new ideas are there, and I quickly flip through them all. I decide not to use the helmet, seeing as it _totally_ didn't go with his flak jacket design. However, the rest of them seemed to be pretty doable. I wonder if the forge is still open right now?

I plug my scroll into his laptop, downloading the blueprints with a light _ping_. It takes less than a minute for the interface, proving to me the advantages of Horizon Electronics over Fruitcup. Honestly, that stuff is just overpriced garbage. Then there's the fact that Fruitcup uses underpaid Faunus labour…

Okay, in my defence, I never actually killed anyone while raiding their factories. Granted, I blew up a few generators, but I don't think many people got irradiated from that…

I open the door to our dorm, scroll tucked in one arm and a concealed Gambol Shroud in the other. I had already changed back into my normal clothes, the black sleeveless dress seeming a little too formal for a jaunt to the forge.

I've got half an hour until Ren gets back, so I resolve to make the most of it. I sprint off to the foundry, thoughts of my dreamy partner filling my mind. I breeze past a pair of Faunus being bullied by some assholes, and I decide to intercede just a little. Just as one guy is about to throw a punch, I go ahead and 'accidentally' trip on him. Of course, with my repertoire of dirty tricks from Adam, it's him that falls rather than me. The two Faunus run while the guys' backs are turned, and I give them a little salute before faking apologies to the fallen bully.

My good deed for the day done, I continue on my way. There's a small crowd congregated in the cafeteria, and I can hear cries of 'March on Menagerie' and 'Death to the Fang'. Oh dear. This is escalating faster than I thought.

I start jogging, these protests and mobs giving even more reason to be prepared. We haven't yet started work on new gear for me, but I can tell that we'll need to do it quickly.

I walk into the forge, which thank the gods was still open. There's nobody working there, but it's nothing major. Most of the machines here are automated, anyways, and I'm good enough to be able to do this myself.

I plug my scroll in to the moulder, the form rearranging itself via some form of techno-sorcery. Okay, fine. Not as much tech-sorcery as nanobots, but close enough. I select the shoulder plate file, and a few kilos of molten titanium come pouring in from above. I then select a vial of blue Dust, for protection against Aura-based attacks. I add to that a small bit of my own special blast-dampening mix, spreading it across the forming pauldrons in an even layer. Another mass of titanium covers it up, and the machine blast-cools the armour with a spurt of nitrogen.

I repeat the same for the other pauldron, making sure not to add too much Dust and accidentally cause a fission reaction. Honestly, why the hell are they letting teenagers handle something so unstable? I mean, I'm fine with it, but then there are the idiots like Cardin…

Even with small quantities of Dust like this, the entire room would be levelled. Imagine if someone accidentally set off a few tonnes of it! A city could be wiped straight off the map, a nation crippled.

I wipe these thoughts from my mind as a quiet tone from the machine signals the armour's completion. A pair of steel grey shoulder plates is ejected, landing softly in a cushioned receptacle. I pick them up one at a time, placing them inside the painter and thinking for a moment. Now I know he wanted mostly green, but personally I think a bit of black would work wonders. Then there's the question of camouflage, with black being more efficient unless we're in a forest…

I make up my mind, punching in my selection with a little smirk on my face. The machine starts up, rotating nozzles spraying the Dust-infused paint in even coats. It bases the plates with grey first, following it up with a few layers of black. I made sure to keep the profile of the armour low, to reduce radar and infrared signature. The black coating also helps, I having used a bit of black Dust to enhance evasion. It's finished off with a few streaks of green, just to keep Ren happy and to improve protection.

Another, slightly higher tone is emitted and the plates pop out. The whole thing took about twenty minutes, a testament to the efficiency of modern technology and the willingness of Beacon to spend all that is humanly possible and then some. I can't help but feel bad that I'm here to take advantage of this, while there's Faunus elsewhere that are being used to make these machines. But I'm doing this for our survival, not for any selfish reason. Nope, I'm definitely not doing this to get Ren to like me better…

This done, I happily take the plates and walk back to the dorm. Oh, Ren is just going to love this. Now all I need to do is find some way to package it…

I stop by the Academy store, purchasing a Beacon t-shirt in what seems to be his size and wrapping the shoulder pads in it. The pauldrons are light enough to carry comfortably, and small enough that it's not too obvious under the thin fabric. I grab a bit of spare green ribbon, tying the package off with a flourish.

I've still got five minutes before Ren gets back, so I quickly run up to the room. I swipe my Scroll without paying much attention, and dash to my desk with my eyes on the package. A gift isn't complete without a card, as far as I know, and I hurriedly slip out a piece of paper and pull out a marker.

I scrawl a quick message on the paper, thanking him for the dinner and hinting at the gift. I messily doodle my signature underneath, and after a bit of thought seal it with a light kiss. There's still a bit of lipstick on me, so it leaves a rosy image next to my writing. I fold the paper in half, and on the reverse draw a quick and shoddy approximation of a black Lotus flower on it. That is his symbol, right?

I hear a knock on the door followed by the beep of the lock and I act swiftly. I place the gift on his desk with utter (in my opinion) precision, then practically leap onto my bed with a book in hand. I flip open to my bookmark, hastily pretending to be deep in thought. The door slides open slowly, and I do my best to look like I didn't just spend the past half-hour making a gift for my partner.

A distinctly feminine laugh resounds through the air, and I look up in confusion. There's a flash of red embraced by black and yellow, and I do my best not to give a little smile. It seems like Pyrrha and Jaune's little date turned out better than they expected, judging from the redhead's lilting laughter and Arc's nervous grin.

I pretend not to be watching as Pyrrha gives Jaune a little kiss and skips away, our glorious leader standing there with a face as red as his partner's. Okay, now that's just adorable.

Pyrrha happily goes out the door, saying something about needing to talk to Weiss, and Jaune makes a beeline for the washroom, leaving me all alone in the room. I close my book with a sigh, looking absentmindedly out the window and wondering when Ren will return. It's been a little more than forty-five minutes now, and he's still not back yet. Perhaps he got delayed?

My overactive imagination starts dreaming up ways that Ren could be slowed, ranging from traffic to getting attacked by Grimm. Much to my chagrin, the latter option seems to be much more prevalent in my mind. I fight it back, though, futilely trying to convince myself that nothing's wrong.

When the door beeps, it takes all of my effort not to throw myself at it and shower it with kisses. Instead, I calmly walk over and pick my book back up, resuming where I left off. It slides open, and I pretend to be lost in my book while barely looking up through my peripherals. I see Ren walk over to his desk after giving me a short nod, examining the gift and opening the card. I see him reading the message, and he does a double take at the 'sealed with a kiss'.

His cheeks go red, but he continues to unwrap the present. He carefully undoes the bow, unfolding the shirt and holding up the armour plates to admire with a small gasp.

I look up hesitantly, him still in shock.

"Uh…d-d-do you like it? Sorry if the colour's a little off…"

He turns around, a wide smile on his face. Before I know it, he embraces me in a little hug, crossing the distance between us in a blink of an eye and a beat of the heart.

"Blake, I love it. Thank you so, so much…"

My eyes go wide for a second as he hugs me, my instincts telling me to resist and run away. My brain, on the other hand, rolls its figurative eyes and tells my instincts to go die in a hole as I relax and just enjoy the feeling of his arms around my body.

He's warm, and I can feel the hints of tightly wound muscles under his charcoal suit. I die just a little bit inside, and I want to be here forever. I close my eyes, taking a deep breath and burying my face in his shoulder. It's so romantic, even though I doubt he thinks of it that way. I don't care, though. For now, the world can end all around me and I don't think I'd notice.

"Aaaaawwwww!"

Ren and I immediately let go of each other, glancing at the door with horrified and slightly embarrassed looks on either of our faces. The portal is open, and an evilly grinning Pyrrha is on the other side. Jaune pokes his head out of the bathroom, the same evil smirk on his face. I shoot him a glare of pure loathing, and he lets out a loud _EEP_ before ducking back in.

As soon as the bathroom door slams shut, we start cracking up.

"Who could have known he could make such a…er…_feminine_ sound?"

Pyrrha is laughing the hardest, surprisingly, although she does try to defend him for about a second before breaking up into giggles.

"Oh, come on. It wasn't _that_ girly, was it…? Okay, yeah it was."

We eventually let Jaune out of the bathroom, convincing him to exit after promising not to kill him. I had my fingers crossed behind my back as I said that…not like anyone else knew. For the record, I totally wasn't gonna kill him. Granted, I definitely felt like maiming him just a little for interrupting my private time with Ren, but with his partner in the room in might not have been the best idea.

Wow. I really need to stop reading those romantic novels.

* * *

**One week later…**

"Alright class, so remember! Tomorrow, we will be going on a field trip to the forest of Forever Fall, so wake up early and pack your weapons! Class dismissed."

We walk out of Professor Peach's Biology class, our minds still trying to understand the drivel that he spouted about stigmas and ventricles. Ren seemed to comprehend most of it, although judging from the little doodles that he made in the margins of his notes he was as bored as the rest of the class.

Aside from the teacher's standard load of bullshit, however, I managed to retain some approximation of consciousness. Or, rather, I managed to stay awake long enough to catch the words 'tomorrow' and 'field trip'. For the majority of the class, however, I had my eye on a certain corner of the room. More specifically, team CRDL. Aside from the standard Faunus-bashing that came from them, the bunch of thick-skulled losers seemed to just love bullying Pyrrha and Jaune. …Okay, mostly just Jaune. Pyrrha got pulled in whenever she tried to defend her knight in shining armour, usually throwing off another of Cardin's hairbrained schemes to shove him in a locker.

The other night, however, I overheard Pyrrha and Jaune having a rather private moment on the roof. Not the 'romantic' private, but the more 'this is a serious situation and I don't know if we can handle this anymore' kind of private. In my defence, Jaune is pretty damn loud when he's moaning self-piteously. I can't judge him, of course, seeing as Ren and I both didn't really make it into Beacon. Pyrrha definitely did, however, but she seemed to take Arc's big announcement pretty well.

Of course, Jaune neglected to take into account the fact that team CRDL's room is almost directly under their little section of roof. I usually took the one above the library, in order to avoid difficult situations such as this one. But as for Jaune, no such luck. He and Cardin appeared to become best of friends over the past few days, although their relationship appeared to be remarkably similar to that of slave and master, respectively.

Judging from my experience in that line of work, I'd have to say a certain plate-armoured boy decided to blackmail our fearless leader. It certainly is a juicy bit of information, one that Jaune would probably not like to get out. Part of that 'deal' must have been to alienate Pyrrha, something that appears to be working rather well. I haven't seen the redhead and the blond talking for days on end, something that doesn't happen very often.

This is something that Jaune has to deal with on his own, though. Granted, Pyrrha's training has definitely helped him improve, but he's still not good enough to deal with bruisers like Cardin. I'm still worried, though. If Jaune doesn't get smart soon…this isn't going to end well.

This field trip is going to be our first for a while, and given the recent incidents involving the White Fang, there's a chance that all this shit might start boiling over. After all, in the wilderness of Forever Fall, anything can happen. Including, perhaps, a pair of Faunus terrorists absconding with a train car full of Dust.

I shudder as I try to repress the memories, leaving Ren to place his hand on my back reassuringly with a small smile.

"You okay?"

Since that night downtown, we've certainly grown closer together. We're not exactly 'together' together, but it's probably for the best, at least for now. I smile back, unable to keep unemotional in his presence.

"I'm fine. Just something unpleasant from my past."

He takes a moment, thinking carefully.

"The train in the forest, right? When you left the Fang?"

I give a little nod, grimacing a little as I stand up with my bag slung over my shoulder. Ren packs up his laptop, standing with me before we walk out of the auditorium.

We walk over to our dorm, dropping our notes and textbooks off before exiting again and trying in vain to navigate the hallways. Once or twice I'm tempted to draw Gambol Shroud and try to hack my way through, but I settle to scanning the crowd for temporary openings and pathways.

Eventually we manage to get down to the caf, getting waved over to a free table by Yang and Pyrrha. Jaune is nowhere to be seen, although Ruby and Nora seem to be in the middle of a cookie-eating contest. Weiss is busy polishing her rapier and pontificating about the sins of the White Fang for the umpteenth time today.

All in all, normal stuff for team RYSN. I half-lead, half-drag Ren to the table, shying away slightly from the hammer-wielding maniac. I'm slightly less afraid of her now due to a little talk from Ren explaining the situation. However, I'm still pretty scared of her damn hammer and trigger-happiness with the grenade launcher. Granted, she's from Valhalla and theoretically neutral in the event that she figures out what the word 'allegiance' means, and her connection with Ren makes her a strong ally. True, a deadly and disturbing ally, but still an ally.

I ditch my bag in a chair and make my way to the line, perusing the selection of 'food' that graced the menu today. Ozpin seemed to have randomly messed around with the budget, investing heavily in the forge and library while skimping on the food and housing. Or, perhaps, Goodwitch managed to get her hands on those regions and ensured that they were up to human rights standards.

After a moment of indecision choosing which way to die of food poisoning today, I select the tuna sandwich with a small salad on the side. The machine processes my order, directing me to the receiving counter. Ren orders a cup of hot water, busting out a pack of instant noodles from somewhere in his bag.

"Emergency stash," he says with a grin.

I roll my eyes and take the sandwich from the grumpy serving lady, thanking her and walking back to the table. Weiss seems to have finished her ranting, going back to normal heiress mode and polishing her rapier to gleaming perfection.

I take a seat, taking a single tentative bite of the tuna and doing my best not to rage at this unholy abomination in the form of fish. Instead, my eye is drawn to the main entrance of the caf. Team Asshole walks in, a staggering Jaune stumbling along in front of them under the weight of their textbooks. Cardin mutters a joke that most likely involved Faunus, his team laughing along and Jaune faking a chuckle.

He dumps the books unceremoniously on a table, collapsing into a seat for a moment and almost passing out. Cardin kicks him out of the seat and rattles off the team's orders, and Jaune limps into line with a single sad look back at Pyrrha.

Pyrrha is downcast, her normally bright eyes dull and red-rimmed from lack of sleep. Jaune doesn't notice, but during the nights I can occasionally hear her faint sobs and see her chest heaving as she cries. Call it my curse, alongside the rest of my Faunus heritage.

After seeing that depressing scene that looked like it was ripped straight out of one of my romance novels, I steel my resolve. Fuck it, this heresy has gone on long enough. I'm going to get Pyrrha and Jaune back together, and tomorrow's just the perfect time to do it. All I'm going to need is a bit of manipulation...

Hopefully, Pyrrha will forgive me. Hopefully.

Hmm…how should I go about this? Ah. Perfect. Jaune has a soft spot for Pyrrha, as evidenced during his fight with Dove Bronzewing. Now if I get Cardin to target her during the field trip, Jaune's bound to leap to her defence! Now all I need to do is get Cardin pissed at her, but not so angry that he starts a fight right here.

Hmm…Pyrrha's far too depressed right now, so I doubt she'd do anything rash enough to merit payback. Given how touchy Cardin can be about his hair, however...I can make this work. Granted, he's not Yang-level about it, but I can tell that he puts quite a bit of effort gelling it up every morning.

When Cardin's back is turned, I scribble a quick insult on a piece of paper in a crude approximation of Pyrrha's round, flowing script. I fold it into a paper Dustplane, sending it soaring across the cafeteria. It almost gets intercepted by Velvet's long floppy ears, but makes it to its destination of CRDL's table in one piece.

I quickly usher Pyrrha and Ren out of the room, not wanting them to catch any flak from Winchester. Just as soon as we exit the caf, I hear a loud bellow of futile rage and insulted manhood. Oh, this is gonna sting.

"NIIIIKOOOOOOOS!"

I give a little smirk, and thank the Gods that only I could hear that. I guess Faunus hearing has its good side, too. Pyrrha mutters something about going on ahead, and I can already see the tears starting to form. I give her a pat on the back and an encouraging smile, but she seems to be too immersed in her sorrow to notice.

Sighing, I turn to my partner.

"So…I managed to book us the firing range later tonight. You up for some target practice with your new toy?"

He gives me a predatory grin, before nodding and starting to walk faster.

"Oh yeah. I'll see you there, then."

Hey! Just because we're not together doesn't mean we can't do things together, right? I admit, firing shots at targets downrange isn't exactly the most romantic thing, but we _are_ training to kill monsters, after all. And given the recent uproar, I think making sure we survive is the most important thing. Death may not be a barrier to love, but it sure is a rather difficult obstacle. And there's no-one that I'd rather jump it with other than Ren.

* * *

**Okay, so I lied. I managed to have a brief spurt of inspiration during Commtech class, so I came up with this. The 'informational intermissions' may still occasionally be uploaded, usually as a fallback just in case I don't get Wednesday's update up. Saturday shall ALWAYS see an update, even if I have to pull an all-nighter on Friday to do it. **

**ZecoreZecron: Yeah, I was quoting the Gravemind, the monument to all our sins. Apologies for the nightmare fuel LOL, but I hope you enjoyed the story!**

**Delta (I think that was you anon reviewing, I'm not too sure :P): The BR is overpowered! *whines when BR beats my carbine spamming* And I actually used the name of a real Italian restaurant in Toronto, so sorry for the lack of creativity on that part XD. Gioranna's is also really good too, although I've only been there once.**

**Vieltrien: Indeed. I'm a guy. I couldn't resist.**

**FaintQuill: Thank you for your kind words, and I'm glad you enjoy the story. Stay tuned!**

**CCWYMetroid: I couldn't resist that little bit XD. To actually visualize the car, think the Ferrari 458 Italia with the Xbox colour scheme.**

**Shadic1978: Thanks for your reviews, and I apologize for the slight delay in the update. Best of luck in your own writing!**

**Until then, read, review, and ENJOY!**

**-Rafen**


	13. Pro Patria Mori-Part I

**A/N: Hai guys! So I decided to make this story arc a 2-parter like the last one, with Ren getting the first chapter and Blake getting the second. In fact, I might actually continue with this pattern, seeing as it helps me better write in-character for each of the two star-crossed lovers. Also, serious shit's about to go down soon, so stay tuned!**

**-Rafen**

* * *

**Black Dragon**

Chapter 10: _Pro Patria Mori-Part I_

"_Dulce et decorum est pro Patria mori." __(It is sweet and right to die for one's country.) –Horace, The Odes_

* * *

**Him**

"_Hey beautiful."_

_Blake walks towards me, an alluring sway to her hips that I find strangely hypnotizing._

"_Hey yourself."_

_She slips an arm around my waist, pecking me lightly on the cheek and walking about me. _

"_You know, now might be a good time to leave…"_

_Pyrrha jumps in from the side, appearing out of the mist that fogs up my view. _

"_I agree. Hey sleepyhead. Wake up."_

_Huh? Isn't breaking the fourth wall against the laws of dreaming or something? _

"_Wake up Ren."_

"_Wake up."_

_**Wake up.**_

My eyes jolt open, my heart pounding in my chest. I'm greeted by a poem that I have stuck to the wall, and the sense of familiarity calms me down and changes my paranoia to mere annoyance. Thus rudely awakened, I turn over in my bed to see who else is awake.

"Hey. Have a good sleep?"

Holy shit. Where the hell did they come from?

Stunning, unblinking amber eyes captivate me in a piercing gaze, and my opinion of this morning just got a whole lot better. Pyrrha is standing behind my partner, and Jaune's muffled 'good morning' is still audible from the washroom.

"I open my eyes, and I see two beautiful girls? Wow. I must be still dreaming."

The two of them giggle ever so slightly, and I see that my attempt at levity worked. I close my eyes for a moment, pondering how easy it would be to go back to sleep. A light poke in my side banishes that thought, and I grudgingly open them again.

"Ugh. It's Saturday. Can't you just let me sleep in?"

They just stand there, hands on their hips and a single eyebrow raised. I'm ashamed to say that it took me a second to process the information from yesterday.

"…We have a field trip today, don't we?"

They keep looking at me, giving a single nod before going back to impassive faces.

"…Fuck."

Now that I've blinked away much of the fuzziness that comes from sleep, I study my teammates. Blake's already in her combat clothes, white shorts and black vest over white undershirt donned and ready to go. Pyrrha is dressed in her armour, although even that hardened bronze-leather top cannot fully conceal her well-endowed generous…ness. Wait. What am I thinking? Jaune's going after her, and anyways I'm pretty much set with Blake. _Curse you hormones!_

Blake blushes at my gaze, and looks away for a second as she tries to control her flushing cheeks. Her spell broken, I get out of bed and start knocking loudly on the door to the washroom.

"Dammit Jaune! It can't _that_ long to change!"

The door suddenly gives way under my fist, and I just manage to avoid breaking Jaune's nose. His eyes are wide, and a nasty retort seems to die on his lips. Well, I guess my threatening hitting did do something. I thank him sarcastically, grabbing a change of clothes and dashing through the door. Pretty sure I hit his ass with it on the way in, but eh.

Normally I sleep in boxers, but given the thinness of the sheets and the cold autumn weather, I wore a pair of plaid pants to bed last night. I quickly strip off my clothing, throwing on a black undershirt and carefully buttoning a flak jacket on over it. Over that I put on my trademark green suit, with a shortened coat-tail to facilitate combat. The shoulder plates that Blake so thoughtfully made for me are magnetic, sticking to a pair of iron inserts in the flak jacket.

My dual SMG's are sheathed in my sleeves, as I generally don't bother putting them inside my locker anyways. Despite what Ozpin says, the school really doesn't care that much about students retaining their weapons outside of combat classes and missions. If you're caught sparring outside a training field, you get a lecture and detention, but that's it. It's almost as if the teachers don't care about enforcing order in the school, something that I've seen firsthand as staff walk right past anti-Faunus gatherings.

I sling my new weapon over my shoulder and under my coat, relying on its slim profile to keep it hidden from questing eyes. Just because I'm allowed to have it doesn't mean people need to know that I do. Anyways, the forest of Forever Fall is a forbidding place. Much like the Emerald Forest, this one is filled with all sorts of dangerous Grimm. However, in here, even creatures as large as Ursa Majors are treated like prey by other, unhealthier monsters.

Given the poor penetration of my normal weapons, I've opted to bringing my new toy. I have Blake to thank for that, as she helped me forge it and gave me a few hints here and there. We've finished a few new things for her, too, and she took a larger role in that than I did.

Done changing, I unlock the bathroom door and step back into the dorm. Jaune is nowhere to be seen, although I can see Pyrrha trying to hold back tears. Oh, something tells me he and I are gonna need a little talk in the forest…

Blake, however, seems a lot cheerier than normal. Well, relatively cheerier, anyways. I'm tempted to ask, although with Pyrrha in the room it might not be such a politically astute move. Instead, I lead the team out to the hangars, where Beacon's fleet of civilian Dustplanes (and according to rumours, Valkyries, Vendettas, and Vultures) are stored.

Team RYSN has already left, judging from the lack of commotion from their rooms. We walk down the stairs to the underground hangar, passing by a few anti-Faunus posters on the way. I make a note to myself to thank Blake for the Beacon undershirt again, as it's soft enough to prevent my weapon from hurting too much as it slaps against me.

We turn a corner and a pair of ornate doors slides open, revealing a large circular chamber filled to the brim with aircraft of all sorts. None of them are armed as far as I can tell, although there are hints of further hangars all along the Beacon Cliffs. Via the powers of Dust and holograms, the gaping cavern of the hangar exit is disguised in the form of a sheer rock wall.

In the centre of the hangar, a certain coffee-swilling cane-wielding headmaster is standing, his Glyph-armed secretary next to him. All around them are gathered the first year teams, the lot of them armed and armoured to the teeth. I see a few Easterners, although they're placed on a team together and separated from the rest of the students. On the left is a grey-armoured Kay'Dyan, lasgun out and ready. Next to him is a fiery Solarian, a bow slung over her silk-clad back. On the far side of the circle is a Khan, lance in one hand and what appears to be a mortar folded up in the other. Near the centre is a fellow Xi'Anese, a pair of crossed scimitars sheathed on her back and some sort of miniature flechette launcher mounted on either wrist.

From a strictly weapons-wise point of view, they're set. They have a support weapon, two ranged fighters, a bruiser-like melee warrior, and a manoeuvrable CQC specialist. They appeared to work well during what little I've seen of their initiation, and thus automatically gain extra points in my books. Other than them, I'm the only Easterner here. There's about ten other teams already scattered around the room, and I inwardly curse myself for sleeping in.

We make our way to the gathering, our footsteps echoing throughout the large chamber. I can see Pyrrha looking back and forth for Jaune, eventually finding him in the questionable company of team CRDL. Her eyes go from hopeful-bright to downcast-dull, and she hangs her head in despair. Or at least that's what I see. Given my predilection for dramatics and the classics, I'm probably seeing things where nothing exists.

I find my spot next to the Kay'Dyan, giving him a curt nod before looking straight at Ozpin. Blake is next to Pyrrha, saying something about 'having a plan'. The headmaster starts up, saying something about not dying and wishing us good luck. Professor Peach, a rather thin woman in glasses and a lab coat and armed with an oversized abomination she calls a 'medigun', chimes in with her own enthusiastic remarks. Easy for her to say. She's gonna be hanging around with the full-blown Huntress. We, on the other hand, are stuck doing grunt work collecting sap for her.

With the preliminary speeches done, we board the Dustplanes. From the five-second look that I got of it, the one we're hitching a ride on appears to be a refurbished T-81 Phantom, with the weapons mounts hopefully taken off. It seats two teams, RYSN and ABRN without the 'A' walking onboard. Goodwitch appears at the pilot's seat, a surprisingly smug smile on her face.

"Time to go, ladies and gentleman. Buckle up."

A line from the Bro Code comes to my mind as I analyse the male:female ratio, the numbers flowing through my mind for a moment before I guiltily staunch the torrent. _Seriously, stop it hormones!_

The Dustplane sets off as Ruby and Yang make a joke about 'Vomit Boy', said boy in question being Jaune, I assume. This makes Pyrrha sink her face even lower into her hands, and I see Blake moving over to comfort her. The ride is otherwise uneventful, consisting mainly of me gaming a little on my laptop while I wait. The solar-powered computer can be used nearly anywhere, as I've discovered from an accidental drop into a sink.

My headphones must have come disconnected sometime during the trip, as I got a few dirty looks from my companions as I won the third match in a row.

"_The bomb has been planted. Terrorists win!"_

I pump my fist into the air before noticing where I am. Blake's eyes are narrowed in a kinda-joking way, the hints of a smile creeping onto her face. Even Pyrrha's lips are slightly upturned, although her eyes are still hollow and lifeless. A napalm-fuelled explosion echoes from my laptop as I frantically search for the plug-end of my earbuds, my face in a sheepish smile.

"I BURN!"

Ruby and Weiss facepalm as one at Yang's outburst, Nora cheering like normal. Thankfully, at that moment the Dustplane slows to a stop and begins descending. Startled, I close my laptop and look out the blue-tinted windows of the passenger cabin. There's not much else but a sea of red and brown, the occasional maple leaf fluttering by in the wind.

The Phantom sets down in a clearing, blowing away stray leaves and debris with its strong downdraft. I walk down its ramp first, at the head of everyone else. The Phantom's engines are creating a low-pitched humming noise, something that I drily note will attract every Grimm within twenty kilometres of here.

Our teams form up around Ruby, given the fact that our glorious leader is otherwise preoccupied. Professor Peach leaps out of her ride, yelling something about a small step for mankind, then loudly dismisses us. Jaune is pulled away by Cardin, and we quickly decide to go the opposite direction.

After a few minutes of walking, we arrive at what seems to be a promising position. A small pile of rocks lies inside a clearing, with a few trees growing in the centre. A perfectly defensible position, provided we can work together. As the amount of Grimm attacks in this forest has increased recently, we quickly work out shifts for standing guard. Ruby and Pyrrha have decent ranged weapons, so they take the high ground. Blake and I have the best vision out of everyone and are the best trackers, so we decide to patrol the perimeter. Yang is rather destructive, so we instruct her to stay _far_ away from the trees that we're supposed to be sampling. That leaves Weiss and Nora to do the sap collecting, something that the latter is far more enthusiastic about than the former.

I'm not quite willing to reveal my new weapon just yet, although my pauldrons are rather obvious and have already attracted a few comments and compliments from team RYSN. The same stands for Blake, though her equipment is currently hanging inside her locker right now. Fun fact: The school's rocket-propelled lockers have a flight radius of three hundred kilometres, about the average range of one of Verneas' pitiful attempts at fission warheads. We're well within that radius, so in the event that something dramatic happens, an ordnance drop can be expected within fifteen seconds.

…Not like I'm actually looking for a fight, or anything. It takes us less than half an hour to collect the sap that we need, Weiss grumbling about having to use Mytrenaster to poke holes in the tree to better tap its sap. Nora drinks the syrup almost as fast as she collects it, requiring a few stern lectures from the heiress to calm down after the inevitable sugar rush. I roll my eyes, knowing better than to try and get her to stop being so hyper.

Blake's being unusually silent, though, and I'm about to try and talk with her when I turn around and am greeted only by the wind rustling the branches.

"Oh, you have _got_ to be fucking kidding me…"

…Goddammit. With Blake already vanished, there's no way I can go leave to search for her without leaving the rest of us unsupported and vulnerable. I'm tempted to get Yang to look for her, though I doubt she'd find anything if Blake didn't want to be found. Instead, I slump down on the branch that I'm standing on, fuming silently.

How long was she gone before I noticed? I'm not too keen on finding out, given the fact that I rather like the tattered remnants of my pride and dignity. Instead I scan the clearing for what seems like the hundredth time, making sure that no Grimm decides to snack on a few Huntresses-in-training.

The roar of an Ursa provides a welcome change to the monotonous routine, although Russell Thrush and Dove Bronzewing running through our little clearing and shouting about said Ursa does not. Pyrrha sticks out her arm as they pass by, clotheslining them and leaving the two winded on the ground. The rest of us turn to look at her, this being the most movement she's done for the good part of an hour. She ignores us, instead placing one boot on Thrush's chest and demanding an explanation.

"Where. Is. Jaune?!"

The two terrified boys stammer something about five minutes east of our position, and I use my scroll to pinpoint his general location. It's not much, but judging by how loud the Ursa was, it'll be pretty easy to find them once we're close enough.

Pyrrha takes off running, yelling at Yang and Nora to go find the professors. I start sprinting hot on her heels, Weiss and Ruby following. If what I heard is anything to go by, Jaune probably got caught by an Ursa Major. He's barely ready to take on a single Minor as it is, let alone its bigger cousin. This isn't going to end well if we don't intercede quickly.

Dove and Thrush must either be exceptionally slow runners or bad liars, as we could already hear Jaune's screams and attempted battle cries after only a minute's worth of running. Ruby leaps into the air, the recoil of her sniper rifle propelling her. She's followed by Schnee, a glyph forming mid-air to redirect her jump.

Pyrrha unslings her shield from her back, her shortsword assembling itself in her free hand. I slip my two pistols from my sleeves, deciding not to reveal my new toy just yet.

Nikos rolls into the clearing, firing a few rounds from her rifle before charging in with her shield leading. I'm right behind her, green bullets flying through the air in an attempt to distract any foe. I stop after a second, however, after being confronted with a very confusing scene. Jaune, the Ursa, and Cardin and Sky Lark are in the middle of a heated three-way battle, Jaune being pummelled and the Ursa unable to get past Lark's shield. Cardin seems to have found or made himself a shield as well, a diamond-shaped sheet of metal that looks like it could survive an apocalypse.

Pyrrha immediately screams in rage and anger while firing, miniature red explosions stitching up the side of Cardin's plate armour. He roars back in his fury, shifting his shield to his left whilst fending off Jaune's futile sword blows with his mace. The confused Ursa swings its claws back and forth in an attempt to take out Winchester while his guard is let down, only to be beaten back by a shield thrust from Lark.

Determined to be more level-headed than my flame-haired teammate, I instead fire at the Ursa, trying to get some pressure off of Jaune. The Ursa backs into a more defensible position, Cardin and Lark between the Grimm and my leader. The two are fighting back-to-back, something that I intend to take advantage of. While Pyrrha charges at the two, I fish a fist-sized lump of metal out of a pouch. Its surface is heavily notched, a small button and indicator light sitting on the top. I press the button three times, arming the grenade and letting it fly.

It lands perfectly in between the two members of CRDL, Pyrrha's shield thankfully being held in front of her to ward off the force of the explosion. The two boys are not as lucky, however, taking the brunt of the frag. It detonates in a shower of shrapnel, shattering against their auras but sending them flying nonetheless. I'm tempted to yell out 'DOUBLE KILL!', but my more rational side shoots that idea down. _Now's not the time, Ren._

This gives Jaune enough room to back away and disengage, while the Ursa is momentarily blinded by the flash. Pyrrha takes the opportunity, lunging forwards and decapitating the Grimm with a single blow. The deed done, I give a short sigh of relief as she turns to offer her hand to Jaune. The two troublemakers are still disoriented on the ground courtesy of yours truly, it seems like our problems are over.

"Pyrrha…t-t-thank you. But I'm fine, hones—LOOK OUT!"

The fiery beauty turns, blade flashing through the air, but she's too late. The blunt end of a sword impacts her chin, knocking her unconscious and on the ground. Jaune gasps and runs to her, but a pair of assault rifles pointed at his face stops him in his tracks.

I'm too preoccupied, however, by a tall man with a white half-face mask and black-and-red suit, hand on his sword and a thin smile on his face. Behind him is a squad of hooded and masked warriors, rifles and swords in their clenched fists. There's a distinctive red Wulfen symbol on their uniforms, and I feel my face grow a little paler in shock.

"My uttermost thanks for taking care of that pest, Mr. Lie. My name's Adam Taurus, and I have the honour to present to you these gentlemen of the White Fang."

My eyes widen, and he continues.

"Oh, yes. I know all about you, Lie Ren of Xi'An. If I may offer you my thanks for taking care of my little…protégé."

_He means Blake. Blake._

I take a moment to regain my senses, and I'm about to respond when my Scroll along with that of everyone else's starts to speak up.

"_Breaking news: The Republic of Vale has pre-emptively invaded Menagerie, supported by elements from Mistral, Atlas, and Verneas. The EVTO has declared war in response to this unprecedented threat upon its territory, mobilizing troops early last night. Stay tuned with Vale News for more details. We now return you to your current activity."_

The clearing is dead silent in shock for a moment, before there are shouts of outrage from everywhere in the forest, including the presumably-Faunus soldiers accompanying this 'Adam' fellow. The man eyes me for a moment, before turning towards the obviously Western faces of Cardin, Lark, Jaune, and Pyrrha.

The three boys have stood up by now, shields unsteadily raised and weapons out in defiance. Not all of their malice is directed towards the Fang members, however, and I can see Cardin especially glaring at me. The Faunus advance towards the boys at a steady pace, ignoring me as they begin firing at the raised shields.

The three bunch together almost instinctively, forming a ragged wall of metal in an effort to defend themselves. Bullets glance off randomly, unable to penetrate their defence. I can tell it's a distraction, however, the swordsmen moving around unhindered to charge their rear. There's no way I can stop them, though, not with Adam's rifle/sword so close by.

I'm forced to watch helplessly as the Beacon students become perfect targets, unable to break ranks and charge without being peppered with rounds. I'm about to spring into action and to hell with Taurus, but I'm interrupted before I can leap up by a ballistic rocket-propelled locker arcing down and blowing half the Fang grunts into the trees.

With the hail of fire ceasing, Jaune turns around and makes a dash for Pyrrha's prone body, standing over her and duelling a Faunus as if his life depended on it. I'm not one to stand still, however, and I take advantage of a momentarily distracted Adam to deliver a stinging aura-fuelled punch into his face. He's sent flying backwards, and my partner chooses this exact moment to leap down from the trees next to me.

"Ren. Go help Jaune. Leave Adam to me."

I nod in assent, charging forwards with SMG's drawn and firing. Arc's opponent takes a few rounds in the chest, his armour stopping most of the shots, but a single lucky bullet impacts his shoulder to draw blood. Jaune exploits the opening, smacking the footsoldier in the head with the flat of his blade and knocking the Faunus unconscious.

I leap in next to Jaune, deflecting a clumsy sword blow with the blades on my pistols and countering with an enhanced kick to the sternum. From the corner of my eye I can see Blake duelling Adam, swords and afterimages flashing left and right. Cardin and Lark have returned to fighting back-to-back, something that I'm guessing they've practiced for a while.

It takes little time before the grunts are beaten off, with us making sure that none of their injuries are _too_ fatal. They are people, after all, even as misguided as they are. Quite a few of them have fractured bones from Cardin's mace, however, so I'm not sure how lenient he was on them.

Blake is still engaged with Adam, this being a contest of both speed and skill. Her chain-scythe whips back and forth in a flurry of motion, countering Adam's brute strength. In her other hand she wields her cleaver-like sheathe, hitting Taurus with strong blows in contrast to the scythe's quick but weak attacks.

I'm about to leap in to her defence, but she shoots a quick look at me that warns me far away. That brief split second of distraction nearly costs her her life, Adam firing the blunt end of his sword into her head. She's knocked away, not unconscious but barely awake. Just when it seems he's about to finish the job, he stops himself. The red blade is sheathed, and Taurus gives my fallen partner a little bow. A second later, and his aura flares dramatically. A shroud of black and red descends upon the clearing, blinding us momentarily. When I regain my sight, the White Fang terrorists are gone.

I run over to Blake, helping her to her feet and trying not to hyperventilate.

"Blake! Are you okay? Did you break anything? Are you injured? Who was he? How did he know you and me? Why is the White Fang trying to kill us? How—?"

She cuts me off, whispering, "I don't know," before actually passing out. I'm about to call for help when I hear cries of rage and anger. Oh, perfect. A lynch mob.

"GET THAT EASTERN FAUNUS-FUCKER!"

Bronzewing and Thrush are at the head of a group of Western students, weapons raised and running towards me. I look down in despair, knowing that nobody here would bother helping me. I won't be able to stop so many people, even if I wasn't such a failure. Even Cardin and Lark have their weapons trained on me and Blake, and I know that I'm going to die in the next few minutes or so.

Some over-enthusiastic marksman looses a broad-headed arrow at me, and I don't even bother flaring my aura. If I die here, then so be it. I brace myself for oblivion, with a whispered apology to my Faunus partner. This is how the world ends.

There's a flash and a loud explosion just inches from my head, but I feel nothing. Surprised, I open my eyes again and look up. There's a white snowflake-like glyph interposed between me and the mob, and a pair of Huntresses with their backs to me and weapons raised.

There's the sound of a High-Impact Sniper Scythe unfolding, followed by a familiar hunting rifle and a plain old-fashioned shield and sword.

Beside my saviours arrive Xiao-Long and Nora, their weapons in their ranged forms and arrayed in a circle around me.

"Hey assholes! If you want to get to them, you have to get through us first!"

I don't know who shouted that, but it sounded remarkably like my currently-fearless leader. The blond turns towards me for a moment, offering his hand which I graciously take. Judging by the situation, now might be a good time to bust out my new toy. I reach under my suit jacket, pulling out a hiltless 75-centimetre long blade. I press a button on the handle, and it unfolds into a green and black bullpup-style assault rifle, barrel levelled at the onrushing foe.

I step into line alongside the six of them, ready to defend my partner with my life.

"Say hello to Ashen Jade, my friends."

* * *

**A/N: Hooray for racist idiots who have no idea what they just got themselves into! Sorry if the White Fang bit seemed a bit off, but on the bright side I *did* throw in Adam. So yeah. **

**I put my Twitter and account on my profile, so if any of you want news about updates or to ask me anything, go check it out. ^^**

**Shadic1978: Thanks for your continuing support. There is in fact one other RenxBlake story here, although it's a oneshot. It's called Quiet Time by shadowmistx98. Check it out, it's quite good.**

**Athan Starclimber: I know I don't actually have to make scheduled updates, but I find that it helps me become more organized. With my other fanfics, updates were scattered around and sometimes separated by months on end, so with this one I want to make sure it's regular. ^^**

**As always, read, review, and ENJOY!**

**Word count: 4433 (Without notes), 11 ½ pages.**

**-Rafen**


	14. Pro Patria Mori-Part II

**A/N: I won't be able to update this Wednesday, as I won't be home in time. But, since I had some time on my hands on Sunday and Monday…EARLY UPDATE, MORTALS. Enjoy! ^^**

**-Rafen**

* * *

**Black Dragon**

Chapter 11: _Pro Patria Mori-Part II_

"_Dulce et decorum est all you want; it is sweeter and more fitting to _live_ for one's country, and even sweeter to profit from it." –Baron Regentropfen und Schnee_

* * *

**Her**

It's depressingly easy to sneak away from Ren as we patrol the clearing, despite his somewhat-vaunted skills of observation. I slip behind a tree as I pass it, my partner's back facing me momentarily. I judge team CRDL's position from the noise that they're making as they abuse Jaune, my Faunus ears picking it up with ease.

The boys are off to the east, around two minutes or so if I run. I take to the trees, taking care not to jostle the precious cargo in my bookbag. Jumping from branch to branch, I cover much of the distance between the two clearings with little effort. The glass jars in my bag clink a little as they collide, but thankfully nothing breaks just yet.

I land feet-first on a sturdy limb, surveying the clearing. Sky Lark and Dove Bronzewing are standing guard, oblivious to my presence above their heads. Russell Thrush is leaning against a tree, asleep and lightly snoring. A few feet away is Cardin Winchester, the idiot-in-chief, laughing and relaxing as Jaune collects sap from a small stand of maples.

I narrow my eyes for a moment, reminded of my similar circumstances in the past. The memory fades, and I set about making my plans. I open up my bookbag, revealing my little stash of maple syrup. In civilization it's expensive stuff, owing to the large amounts of Grimm that are inevitably attracted to the syrup. For me, though, it's simply a matter of finding a tree and tapping it. I had filled ten jars in this manner, more than enough to ensure my plan's success.

I look back to the clearing, Jaune having been pushed over as he was bending down to fill yet another jar. I can hear Cardin boasting about some plan or other, his teammates laughing at a few insults and jokes about my kind. I restrain my urge to swoop in and castrate them with Gambol Shroud, instead pinning their location on my Scroll and setting off once more into the forest. I remember seeing an Ursa den fairly close by from the Dustplane, clearly occupied judging by the small bones strewn outside the cave.

It takes me less than five minutes to reach the Grimm's location, pushing all other thoughts aside to make room for my little shipping plan. It's perfect. Ursa attacks Jaune, Pyrrha comes running, Pyrrha kills Ursa, CRDL attacks Pyrrha, Jaune beats them off with his Aura and protects Pyrrha, Jaune and Pyrrha get back together. What could go wrong with such a flawless plan?

Okay, admittedly, I've been reading far too many romance novels recently. But just from observing the other half of my team, I can see that the redhead would definitely leap into action if her partner was in danger. Jaune's earlier sparring match with Sky Lark proved that the opposite was also true, although he may require a little shove to get things moving again. Eh, worst-case scenario, I give him an assist so he can land the right blows.

Done reviewing my plot and keeping in mind Murphy's Law (No battle plan survives contact with the enemy), I take out a jar of sticky, sweet sap and start pouring in on the ground below me. I trace a path through the forest and back towards CRDL's clearing, jumping from branch to branch while trying not to interrupt the flow of fluids too much.

I go through the jars quickly, but manage to empty the last one just shy of the clearing. Oh, well. As long as the Ursa isn't *too* retarded, it should get the hint and try to snack on the assembled failures-in-training.

I'm about to return to my own team when my Scroll lets off a soft, almost imperceptible tone. I look down, a flashing light indicating a new message. Curious, I open it up, and my eyes widen in surprise and shock.

_To: Blake Belladonna (Lt. [Ret'd.], White Fang Valian Cell, #073929952)_

_Re: Start_

_Vale has moved against Menagerie. I tried to stop Adam, but he insisted on provoking the League. There's a team inbound to Forever Fall right now to ambush a train convoy moving vital war materiel, something that will result in the total destruction of our homes. Adam doesn't care, though. He says we have nothing left to lose. Having seen firsthand the devastation wrought upon Faunus families and communities, I'm inclined to disagree. If he acts, we'll lose more than ever. Please stop him. Good luck, Blake._

_Regards, _

_Eve Taurus, White Fang field operative #070452371_

Oh gods. Why would Adam do this? It's bad enough that the League was already mad at the Faunus, but if there's another terrorist attack, then maybe even the EVTO might think twice about stopping Vale. I re-read the message again, hoping that my eyes deceived me. The signature at the bottom makes me think for a moment, startled.

I haven't spoken to Eve in over a year, ever since I left Adam on that train. She's Adam's younger sister, one of my childhood 'friends'. I honestly feel a little bad about not even saying goodbye to her, but it's surprising how she managed to find me. She even addressed me by my old rank of Lieutenant, a little touch that says a lot.

Does she think that I'd get back with the Fang? I doubt it, considering she's asking me to attack Faunus troops. What could she want, then? I think on it, weighing the pros and cons. If what she says is true…then Adam would provoke the League into full-scale war. If there's another terrorist attack, Vale would be unable to back down or risk losing face, and Menagerie would be in the way of harm.

I push all other thoughts out of my mind, focusing on what little I saw of Forever Fall from the Dustplane. Let's see…Ursa den, multiple clearings in the shape of a smiling face, scattered cabins in the woods, tunnel going through a mountain…wait. Tunnel? I run through my memories, trying to remember where it was located.

Position set, I turn on my Scroll's lifeform scan function and start running north. Now if I remember correctly, there's a small clearing sitting atop a cliff that overlooks the railway. Repressed memories fight their way to the surface of my mind, and I try but fail to force them back down. Giving up, I resolve to use this to my advantage.

The last time Adam and I attacked a train, we simply leaped onto it from the cliffs. A clearing would be the perfect place to land troops, although the location that I have in mind isn't large enough to fit a Dustplane. They'd have to deploy a while away and move in by foot, then, in order to make it in time.

My Scroll starts beeping urgently, signalling the detection of _something_ living. I lift it to eye level as I keep running, checking the threat radius. Thankfully it's nothing but a small bird, a raven by the looks of it. I adjust the device's criteria to something human-sized, and double my pace.

It takes little time to reach the clearing, and I breathe a sigh of relief when it's clear that it's deserted. Adam's not here just yet, then. Just to be sure, though, I grab a motion detector from my bag that is linked to my Scroll. If anything vaguely threatening shows up here, I'll be the first to know.

The deafening howl of an oncoming Dustplane interrupts my work, and I look up quickly by instinct. For a second there's nothing, but then the body of a Valkyrie dropship breaks through a low-floating cloud, anhedral wings bristling with armament. It's painted light blue for concealment against the sky, though a familiar red Wulfen sigil on the nose betrays its identity.

Shit. That must be Adam's ride! It doesn't look like it's noticed me, thankfully, but I scramble into the shrubbery for the sake of keeping up appearances, if nothing else. The Valk engages its quieter particle thrusters now, to stay concealed. Taking a moment to switch engines, it starts flying farther south, albeit at a slower rate.

I follow, apprehension growing in my heart. The best landing locations are where the Beacon students are, and judging by the aircraft's path it has the same idea. Assuming that Adam took with him a selection of the standard White Fang grunts, they shouldn't be too much to handle. The man himself, on the other hand, could present a challenge even for Goodwitch.

I keep moving, one eye remaining on the Valkyrie at all times. I can hear an Ursa roaring in the distance, probably confirmation of my plan's success. I ignore it, though, far more pressing matters on my mind.

I need to stop—or at least delay—Adam before he reaches the students. Hopefully the sudden disappearance of a few dozen trees will be enough to warn them away. With any luck he might not even kill me, however unlikely that is. I did betray him, after all, and I've seen firsthand how poorly he takes to that.

The Dustplane eventually vanishes into the distance, but my hearing is sufficiently advanced that I can still hear its dull drone. Trees fly by as I run, ignoring the occasional beeps of my Scroll.

After a while the Dustplane quiets down, as if slowing or stopping. They must be landing men. I redouble my efforts, thoughts of Ren in harm's way filling my mind.

I stop myself at the outskirts of the Beacon landing site, thinking up a plan for dealing with this. I can't tell Goodwitch or she'll ask how I know this. As a matter of fact, I can't tell anyone else, either. Ren's too far off anyways, and I know nobody other than my team. Fuck. I can't stop them on my own, though. And, however romantic the notion of laying down my life is, I can't help but have a selfish desire to keep my appendages attached to my body.

A flash of burgundy passes through the clearing, followed by a familiar green-attired boy. White and red-themed girls are close behind them, and it's obvious where they're headed. Not looking for me, clearly, but instead for Jaune. Well, it's nice to know that at least one of my plans is working. Wait…CRDL's directly in Adam's path!

My face goes white as I fully consider what I just got my team's leader into. Even with the help of everyone else, it'll still be a challenge to fend off the Fang.

I follow the four of them silently, sticking to the shadows and keeping an eye out for Adam. Ruby and Weiss leap into the air, probably to get a better angle of attack. Pyrrha and Ren just run straight into the clearing all guns blazing, uncharacteristically furious for the redhead.

I land on a branch to observe the rather confusing three-way melee between Cardin and Sky, Jaune, and one angry Ursa Major. The two asses are fighting back-to-back, Jaune and the Grimm on either side of the pair. Pyrrha fires her rifle at Cardin, eliciting a roar of anger before she charges in. Ren, on the other hand, simply tosses a grenade in between the two and sits back.

The two of them are sent flying away, Pyrrha's shield protecting her from the force of the blast. The Ursa, disoriented by the sudden flash of energy, backs off. This allows Jaune to backpedal away, and the redhead moves in to decapitate the bear with her shortsword.

Okay, so my plan didn't _totally_ work. Given Ren's intervention, the remaining members of team CRDL are too indisposed to try and get after the flaming beauty. Ah, well. Two out of three isn't too terrible.

Pyrrha helps Jaune up, and a few words are exchanged between them, mostly consisting of the blond thanking his guardian angel. Behind them, however, I see a tall Faunus man wearing a white half-face mask painted to look like a Grimm's, followed by a small squad of White Fang footsoldiers.

Jaune screams out a warning before I do, but it's too late. Adam fires Blush into the girl's chin, knocking her unconscious. Arc makes as if to help her, but he is quickly held at gunpoint by the grunts.

Adam starts talking threateningly to Ren, but I don't bother listening in. The men with Taurus aren't enough to even threaten a car, let alone a military-grade train. There's got to be more somewhere. I take off running, exploiting my Scroll's motion tracking feature.

I brush aside stray branches, Gambol Shroud sheathed on my back. There's a loud commotion just a few metres to my left, sounding remarkably similar to a firing anti-materiel sniper rifle. Right after that is the sound of a scythe unfolding, and a colourful variety of muffled curses. Bingo.

I draw my Shroud, holding the sheath in one hand and the gunblade in the other. Taking a deep breath, I break cover. Ruby is in the middle of a heated melee with a group of White Fang thugs, her blade flying left and right. A few metres off is Weiss, rapier out and Glyphs drawn. I leap in between the two of them, intercepting a man with an assault rifle and bisecting his weapon with my cleaver. I kick high, my foot contacting his face and knocking him out cold.

Weiss gives me a quick nod before freezing a Faunus in his tracks, smacking him upside the head with the flat of her blade and rendering him unconscious. I'm a little worried about Ruby accidentally killing someone with that scythe of hers, but thankfully she's using the blunt end.

A sword-wielder tries to attack me while I study the field, blocking a powerless slash with his own blade. It's a distraction, however, and I dodge behind him. He goes after the afterimage, and I stretch the rope on Gambol Shroud taut before quickly wrapping it around his neck. I pull just enough to restrict the flow of air, and his frantic struggles ease after about a second. I release after a further five, thanking the gods that rabbit Faunus require a near-constant supply of air. I didn't kill him, hopefully, but left him out cold on the ground due to asphyxiation.

We manage to clear out the White Fang members quickly enough, the three of us working separately with our own methods. The last man standing is backed against a tree, three blades at his throat. His wild eyes dart all over, looking for a way out and finding none. Giving up, he looks at us beseechingly. Ruby smirks a little, in her own scary way. Weiss gives him a glare that could melt iron, and he shies away from her as much as he can.

When his eyes meet up with mine, however, they widen in recognition. Oh, fuck. I think I remember this guy from training. He joined the Fang a few years after I did. Oh, this is _not _good. His mouth begins to open, but I give him no chance. Gambol Shroud switches into pistol form in a split second, and I bring the butt of the gun down on his head hard.

Ruby gives me a shocked look, and I quickly think up an excuse.

"He had the look of a fanatic. I don't think you'd really like to hear his…colourful…vocabulary. Trust me, Faunus like him are brainwashed."

Her frown disappears, and I begin to turn back in relief. Weiss, however, decides this isn't over.

"_Please_. All Faunus are simply dangerous to Human society. They're remnants of a terrible past, a past that should be purged. Take this…this…this _rapscallion_ for example…"

She continues, and inwardly I seethe at her comment. I can tell she's trying hard not to swear in front of her impressionable leader, but it's easy to see what she truly meant by that.

"…and the White Fang! They're just no-good terrorists that enjoy killing and destruction, causing pain and anguish for thousands. Blake is right. There's no need to listen to his fanatical drabble! Instead we should be glad that these psychopaths were defeated so easily. Hopefully team CRDL managed to beat off their set of murderers…"

…Yeah. Weiss and I are gonna have a little talk about stereotyping once this bullshit blows by. Until then, however, I toe the line.

"Exactly. Now c'mon. Jaune probably still needs our help."

I sheathe my katana, leaping into the trees and following the sounds of combat. The girls are right behind me, the heiress being all high and mighty as usual, and Ruby just going along with it. I'm glad that I don't have to deal with them, otherwise I'd probably be driven insane in a few days.

We make it back to the clearing just in time for everyone's Scrolls to start playing some news report. I didn't listen in very clearly, focusing instead on getting the jump on Adam. What I did catch, however, was something involving Vale moving against Menagerie. Well, at least I know that Eve wasn't lying…

As the report finishes, cries of outrage resound all over the forest. All of a sudden, I'm glad that I never revealed my Faunus heritage to anyone other than Ren. Then I remember: Xi'An declared war against the League. That means…Ren's a target! No stranger to racism and abuse, I think of a plan on the fly. Cardin and Lark are too clumsy to present a threat. Pyrrha's unconscious, Jaune is a pushover. That just leaves Ruby and Weiss…

I leap onto a branch directly above Adam, punching in coordinates on my Scroll and watching as the three shield-bearing boys slowly get outflanked. If I can stop the guys with assault rifles, though…they just might stand a chance. I press one more button on the screen, and a tiny green light indicates a successful launch. Somewhere in the Academy, my locker punches through the ceiling of the changerooms and arcs towards Forever Fall.

Hey, it's not my fault if Ozpin forgot to make holes in the roof, right?

I look down at my partner, Wilt and Blush at his throat. Despite the EVTO's tentative support of Menagerie, it looks like Adam is taking no chances. I'm tempted to leap into action, but I restrain myself. Ruby and Weiss are close behind me, and I flash them frantic hand signals. The heiress holds the scythe-wielder back, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

In my mind, an invisible clock is counting down. _Ten. Nine. Eight._ A shining light appears in the sky, parting the fog and low-hanging clouds with contemptuous ease. _Six. Five. Four._ I can hear the faint roar of the locker breaking the sound barrier, multiple sonic shockwaves reverberating through the air. _Three. Two. One._

My locker impacts the ground with the force of a meteor, sending debris and splinters flying everywhere. The White Fang soldiers are knocked into the sky, and I can't help but wince as they fall towards the ground. They're definitely not leaving this without a few broken bones.

_Touchdown. _Ren drives a palm into Adam's neck, sending him flying and leaving an opening.

"Go, go, go!" I shout to Weiss, and I leap down next to my black-haired knight in not-so-shining armour. I catch his eye and give him a half smile before returning to combat mode. _Focus, Blake._

"Ren, go help Jaune. Leave Adam to me."

He nods in assent, leaping to the blond's aid. The two members of RYSN are already in the thick of it, Cardin's shieldwall broken and engaged in clusters around the clearing. I turn back to see Adam slowly picking himself up off the ground, drawing Gambol Shroud and dual-wielding it with its sheath.

"My, my Blake. It's been far too long."

My breath catches in my throat, but only for a second. My eyes narrow, and I bite back a scathing reply. Instead, I charge forwards, leaving afterimages in my wake. He ignores them, firing out Blush at the last possible second to block my slash. My cleaver descends upon him, but he's fast enough to dodge away.

We circle one another, weapons in hand and crouching low to the ground.

"Not long enough, _murderer._"

I yowl in fury, uncoiling my muscles and slamming my shoulder into his gut. The air rushes out of him, but he rolls with the blow and ends up a metre or so away from me.

"Temper, temper. Someone's feisty today. Worried about your new boyfriend?"

I must have flinched a little, because he shoots me a predatory smile. It's one that shows no mirth, only malice and a deep, barely concealed need to _kill_.

I switch my shroud into pistol form, firing a volley of suppressed rounds at his head before throwing it at his smug face. He blocks the shots with a spin of the wrist, and ducks below the throw. As I pull the gunblade back he catches it, his hand flashing through the air to arrest its momentum. I expect this, though, and I actually let go of the cloth as I dash towards him.

I bring down the cleaver in a two-handed overhead blow, too fast even for him to evade. It impacts his mask, leaving a nasty crack that cleaves the bone almost in two. He's not even staggered, however, chuckling in his trademark disturbing way.

"Hahahaha…Oh, kitty. You _know_ that wasn't a good idea, was it?"

The red highlights on his body start glowing, as if lit up by the man's inner evil. My eyes widen in fear, and I back away very slowly. _Oh, fuck._

A crimson blade swings at eye level, and I duck below it. I counter with a thrust from my katana, but that's parried by his own blade. My sheath arcs towards his abdomen, but he counters it with a stinging riposte that leaves me panting. There's a faint line of deep red along my bicep, but I ignore it.

My legs power me forward, feinting high and stabbing low. He nearly falls for it, but a last-second correction bats Gambol Shroud away. My former master drives his fist into my stomach, and I double over in agony. Out of the corner of my eye I see his blade descending upon me, and I marshal enough energy for a backflip that sends me out of harm's way.

He stops for a moment, the red lines fading just for a second. It gives me enough time to check on the progress of my possible allies. Ren and Jaune are fighting back-to-back, Pyrrha lying unconscious below them. The incapacitated bodies of White Fang grunts are strewn across the clearing, but the horde seems unending. Weiss is taking visible satisfaction in beating down each and every Faunus, punctuating her blows with equally sharp verbal jabs.

I turn back to Adam, my two blades held at waist level and pointed straight at him. His own sword is sheathed, though given his speed it is more of an advantage than a liability for him. We stand there for a moment, as if daring each other to make a move. Then, at an unspoken and unseen signal, we both move.

Our blades clash over and over again, sending sparks flying as we fight. I can feel the air parting before my swords, burning with black fire as they are. He counters with his own tainted red aura, foul imitations of rose petals floating through our battlefield.

He slashes downwards, and I roll back, leaving an afterimage to fight in my place. He bats it aside with contempt, firing a few rounds into where I was standing. The shots pass through another afterimage, however, and he turns around in surprise to find my katana sheathing itself in his shoulder.

Rather than collapsing in pain, however, the red glow intensifies. He pulls my blade out with his free hand, slamming his sword into my side. I manage to block most of it with my aura, but I can hear the loud _crack_ of a rib fracturing. I roll with the blow, clutching a hand to where he hit me. My hand is moist, and I look down. Crimson lifeblood is welling up between my fingers, and I can feel the numbness of shock starting to fade away.

It's replaced by agonizing pain, and I just manage to bite back a cry. I tighten my vest to slow the bleeding, and my knuckles whiten as I grip my blade's handle. The others have just about finished mopping up the White Fang troops, and I turn back to Adam. There's a sickening smile on his face, something that I will enjoy wiping off.

"Leave now, Blake. This is not your fight. Live your fairytale life while we change the world. If you want no part in this, then you shall have no part. Leave."

I close my eyes, thinking. It would be so simple to just go, let Adam carry through with his task. But then I think of the consequences. All those homes burning, families destroyed. I harden myself before replying.

"I can't let you kill innocents. I won't have their lives on my conscience. Goodbye."

I rush forward before he can think of a comeback, striking quickly with both swords at once. I turn the katana into its pistol form, spinning it through the air on its tether like an oversized scythe. It comes down on his guard over and over again, and he's hard-pressed to block. My cleaver finds its mark on Wilt, marring its bruised surface and forcing Adam to take a step back.

I give him no chance to escape, closing the distance with a lunge. He smacks it aside with the flat of my blade, and hits me with an overhand smash. I block it, barely, and am sent sliding a few feet away. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Ren making as if to help. I shoot him a warning look, and he stops. Suddenly his eyes go wide, as if shouting a warning. I turn, only to feel a sudden sharp pain. My world goes black for a moment, and I find myself on the ground.

I can faintly hear Ren shouting my name, but my head is spinning even as I struggle to stand up. A train whistles quietly in the forest, and I force a short laugh out of my mouth.

"Hah. You're…too late."

He snorts, but gives me a short nod. One word later, and he flares his aura briefly. The world goes black for a second time, and he's gone. I smile in triumph, and let my head hit the ground again, his words ringing through my mind.

"_Goodbye."_

Oblivion.

* * *

**A/N: Hai. Please don't kill me for possibly misportraying Adam. I did my best, and I'm sorry if he's not up to your standards or expectations. In this, Adam is portrayed as a kinda-fanatic whose semblance is that strange epicawesomesauce slash that raped the spider-bot in one shot. However, it also makes him insane and VERY angry. Think Yang in ragemode, but worse. However, he still cares for Blake, as evidenced by him sparing her when she was down. That alone is capable of punching through his veneer of rage and anger, despite everything else. Oh, and the plot didn't advance at all. Sue me. ^^**

**I wanted to do a Blake bit, and I did a Blake bit. :P**

**CCWYMetroid: I re-read the chapter in question, and yes, it is rather choppy and awkward. I plan to fix the earlier chapters sometime during winter break (Dec. 21-Jan 4ish), so expect a change then.**

**Husker75bsg: Indeed. FOR CHAOS, AND FOR THE DARK GODS! *cough* Er…I mean yes, chaos incoming in the next chapters.**

**As always, read, review, and ENJOY!**

**-Rafen**

**PS: REVIEWS FOR THE REVIEW GOD! FAVES FOR THE FAVE THRONE! LET MY FOLLOWERS GROW! (Brought to you by Tzeetnch Incorporated, a division of Chaos Undivided. All rights reserved.)**


	15. Intermission III: Shatterpoint

**A/N: I am SO sorry. This week has been hectic for me, from walking halfway across a city to find a charity for a Civics project to a movie night and an Air Cadet parade, I barely had any time for writing. I'll do my best to get an actual chapter out later tonight, but for now you will have to make do with this short drabble. **

**-Rafen**

* * *

**An Intermission.**

**Shatterpoint (Subchapter 1)**

"_There is no peace amongst the stars, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter, and the laughter of thirsting gods." –Nosotros El-Damos, The Oracles_

* * *

_Lutecia, Verneas, 438 AD_

A full moon rose above the kingdom of Verneas, reflecting off of the spires of Lutecia. The streets were filled with people, bonfires competing with the moon to light the city. Explosions echoed in the sky, casting bright lights above the rooftops. More rockets were launched, adding their noise to the cavalcade of lights.

For once, though, the voices in the streets were not the cries of revolutionaries. The rockets were nothing more than Dust-based fireworks, the bonfires lit for warmth. For tonight was the Feast of the King's Ascension, cause for great celebration for the people of Verneas.

From all over the kingdom, pilgrims made the months-long travel to the capital. There, they joined the processions and visited the fairs, to take in the sights and sounds of Lutecia before yet another year rolled in.

To call it a city during such times would be inaccurate. More fittingly would be the appellation of a veritable metropolis, people of all shades and walks of life brushing shoulders in their praise of the Royal Family. The Feast was the one time peasant and Lord could walk side-by-side, and the Verneans took the holiday in stride.

Even for those who could not survive the treacherous journey to Lutecia celebrated in their own ways, and many a family was gathered around a communal fire to swap stories and reminisce on memories. Yes, all over the kingdom, people everywhere were celebrating.

Or, at least, almost everyone.

"No, _sacre merde_, no! I already told you: We cannot accept the demands of Atlas! Send Westwynter back to his king submissive and beaten, for if we bow down all is lost!"

Janvier Libertas St.-Yves Joseph D'Arc, Lord of Arc-en-Ciel and leader of the King's Musketeers, was having a _very_ bad day. If you asked him what he was doing, he would give you a sarcastic, insult-laden, and very tactless answer involving convoluted metaphors and profuse bloodshed, along with muttered remarks about a certain Cardinal's mother.

Why the rage? Because said Lord of Arc-en-Ciel was currently involved in the biggest shouting match of his career, and that in itself was no small feat.

"Of course, my dear Knight. The problem with refusing, you see, would be that the Atlean army is much larger than ours. That, and the fact that watching Verneas burn is not my idea of a well-celebrated Feast of the King's Ascension."

Janvier's right eye twitched for a moment, his mind busy attempting to find the actual argument behind the Cardinal's veneer of _foutaise_. Or, judging by the well-chosen words that he spoke, more likely the tactful insult barely veiled by civilized language. Not like the Lord of Arc cared much for civilized language. Oh no, it was much too late for that.

"Cut the _conneries_, Cardinal, and have some _faith_ for once. While Atlas' army is larger, ours is better. Our noble swords shall cut away their common filth!"

The Cardinal was unfazed by Janvier's colourful entreaty, instead continuing on in his mildly disturbingly monotone voice.

"I believe the proper address is 'Your Eminence', although given your current, ah, _excitability_ I choose to ignore your disrespect. Yet again. In any case, please remember that I work for the very same cause as you do, albeit in a more socially acceptable way. I too wish to ensure Vernean supremacy, but I intend to take the long-term plan."

If you asked the same question to one Marc-Antony Veritas, Cardinal of Winchester, he would give you a long-winded answer involving pressing commitments and the good of the Kingdom, in that order. His explanation complete, he would wish you a pleasant evening and show you to the door, as opposed to Janvier, who would much rather just ram his longsword far up your rear. However, once out the door, he would have half-a-dozen of his men stab you in the back and throw your body into the Sine River, rather than patch you up and buy you a beer like his current opponent would.

"_Your Eminence_, with all due respect, get your head out of your _con._ There is no long-term plan, because if we don't act now there won't even be a short term! For the love of God, see sense! Ambassador Westwynter is a consistent liar, and my spies say that the Atlean army is massing at the channel. We must prepare for the worst!"

_Ah, _merde_. I suppose he noticed._

The Cardinal shook those ungodly thoughts out of his mind, rather instead focusing on the annoying mindless brute who was focused on ruining his plans.

"And my spies say otherwise, Lord Arc-en-Ciel. The Atleans are instead focused on dealing with Xi'An and the Faunus Problem, which is something we both agree on. Why not combine forces with them, rather than go to war? It gets late. Perhaps we can settle our dispute tomorrow. Good night, Lord Janvier."

His little tirade done, the Cardinal gave a small bow before turning back into his quarters, leaving Janvier all alone in the tower.

_Congratulations, Janny-boy. You probably just doomed Verneas._

* * *

**One week later…**

"My lord Arc-en-Ciel!"

Janvier looked up from the map of Remnant that he was studying, small Fleurs-de-Lis scattered around the territory of the Kingdom of Verneas. The heavy oaken door to his war-room was swung open, a panting page bent over and trying to catch his breath. The Knight's eyebrow raised minutely, but he stood up nonetheless and walked over, speaking as he did so.

"Yes? Out with it, boy!"

His booming voice echoed throughout the large chamber, in stark contrast to the boy's high-pitched yet quiet squeaking.

"M-m-my Lord. The Atlean army has crossed the channel not but a few hours ago. A roving patrol of Knights encountered them and destroyed a foraging party, but was in turn driven off with heavy casualties by the main part of the enemy army. Cardinal Winchester proposes a surrender, and the King is otherwise…indisposed, at the moment. Your lieutenants are waiting at the base of the spire and requesting orders, sire. Where shall I direct them?"

Lord Arc-en-Ciel drew himself up to his full 6 feet, 2 inches, already reaching for his sword and shield. His armour was already buckled on, a simple chestplate-and-shoulderplates design that allowed for his more agility-based fighting style.

He spoke, his words striking fear and apprehension in the hearts of the serving-boy.

"To war, and to hell with the Cardinal! To war!"

* * *

**A/N: And that's just a little backstory for Jaune, Cardin, and the world of Remnant in general. Well, at least the one that I'm trying to write. Once again to reiterate, I hope to release an actual chapter later tonight. Until then, read, review, and ENJOY!**

**-Rafen**


	16. Luna Sanguinius

**Black Dragon**

Chapter 12: _Luna Sanguinius_

"_The darkest places in Hel are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis." –Dante Al-Ghari, 286 AD_

* * *

**Him**

Do you ever feel like the whole world is out to get you? It's like you're just trying to live your life in peace, but some jerk with a mace just _has_ to ruin your day. Yeah. Well to be fair, it's more like forty-odd Hunters in training, all armed to the teeth and armoured like tanks. But it's still not my fault. Blame the White Fang terrorists who decided to blow up an SDC mine.

I kneel, my rifle kicking at my shoulder as I fire off a three-round burst at the nearest foe. The dust-enhanced rounds shatter against his Aura, making him stumble slightly. It's enough for my purposes, and I switch targets. A thumb-sized round from a sniper scythe punches through his defences, and the boy's tibia fractures from the impact. The rest of the Westerners keep moving, though, shields raised and Auras flared.

My Faunus partner is lying unconscious on the ground behind me, and a quick glance at her gives me reason to keep fighting. I fire another burst at Bronzewing, detonating one of his rockets mid-air and showering the advancing foe with shrapnel. The bullets have little effect on the front rank, however, given their various forms of protection. I'm confronted by a solid wall of metal, ranging from full-body Mistrallian shields to small iron bucklers that barely cover one's chest. They're all strengthened by Dust or otherwise, however, something that I really should have considered.

Granted, my new toy is much better than the standard V7-R used by many, but it can only do so much when it's wielded by a single person. I didn't pack much ammunition, either, and so I'm reduced to firing short bursts or single bullets. The single shots don't have much impact, so the sharp staccato of my bursts regularly cracks throughout the clearing.

There's about forty people trying to kill me, though, so it's only a matter of time before we're overwhelmed. However, I've found allies where I least expected them. The champion of Mistral and the sole descendant of _the_ Janvier D'Arc are fighting by my side, along with the heiress of the SDC and some of the most dangerously insane girls you'll ever meet.

Between Yang's rockets, Nora's hammer, Weiss's glyphs, and Ruby's anti-tank rifle (honestly, that thing could take out a Centurion given enough time), the horde begins to thin. It's not fast enough though, and I can tell that we're going to have to bust out the melee weapons.

Jaune and Pyrrha are standing side by side, shields raised to protect us from the occasional return fire. Pyrrha is aching to hit back with her rifle, but I managed to convince her to stand her ground. If we manage to survive this wave, it'll be a running battle all the way to safety, and we'll need all the firepower we can get. Her shots won't be too effective against heavy infantry anyways, and I'm yearning for a coilgun to even the odds.

Such a weapon would probably vaporize the students though, Aura or no Aura, and so I reluctantly let the thought fade back into the recesses of my mind. I stand back up, aiming down the sights to nail yet another foe. Her aura is broken easily, and a few shots connect with her shoulder. Tiny red holes stitching down her right arm, she quickly collapses in a heap.

The seven of us are arrayed in a semicircle around Blake, with Jaune using a bit of his Aura to accelerate her return to the land of the conscious. It looks like she took quite a few hits from Adam, a deep purple discolouring on her abdomen signifying a cracked rib or two. There's multiple cuts on her arm and body, and judging by the amount of crimson soaking the ground she had lost a lot of blood.

My heart leaps into my throat as I see her like this, and I'm momentarily frozen. When I'm not looking, one of the Atleans decides to loose a broad-headed arrow at my face. I'm first notified of its interception by Weiss, a small snowflake-like glyph hanging in the air in front of me. I give her a nod of gratitude, returning my full attention to the enemy.

I see an opening as Cardin extorts his followers, and take full advantage of it. I press a concealed button on Ashen Jade's trigger guard, and the gun starts unfolding. The top half of the barrel rotates, forming a frontal crosspiece. The sights flatten, leaving a thick groove running lengthwise. The trigger guard moves back, and I grab a small metal shaft from a pocket on the inside of my suit. I place it inside the groove with little bravado, using my Aura to place a small charge on the tip of the bolt. I take aim along the front sights, Cardin's arm holding his mace high above the crowd.

_Take up our quarrel with the foe._

I squeeze the trigger on my newly-formed crossbow ever so lightly, and the bolt is launched towards the redhead.

_To you, from failing hands we throw._

The Aura charge detonates as it impacts his upraised defences, shattering it with an audible crack.

_The torch, be yours to hold it high._

His mace flies from his outstretched hands, even as he is thrown backwards into the crowd.

_For if you break faith with us who die…_

_We shall not rest, though we lie, in Vernean fields._

The leader of team CRDL lies sprawled on the ground, and the onslaught is halted for a moment. The remainder of the Westerners hesitate at the sight of the hole in Cardin's armour, a thin metal shaft protruding roughly from his shoulder. I seize the opportunity, picking up my partner in a bridal carry and yelling to the others to start running.

Our feet pound on the leaf-strewn ground, a mob of outraged students hot on our heels. Her body is soft and warm in my arms, surprisingly weighing very little. Er…not like I'm staring at her, or anything…

Blake's amber eyes flutter open around five minutes in, and I give her a little smile even as spears and arrows fly above us.

"Hey. What did I miss?"

I shift her for a moment, giving her an ample view of the people trying to kill us.

"Oh. Well then."

Despite myself and the situation, I give a little chuckle.

"Understatement of the century. So, think you can run?"

My arms are starting to ache, but I keep moving. The others are right behind me, and gaining fast. The angry mob, on the other hand, is tiring, one of the disadvantages of heavy Western-style plate armour.

Blake gives me a little nod, thankfully, and I gently set her down. I barely break stride as she slides off, keeping pace with me after a few shaky first steps.

The cuts on her have faded, I notice with a slight smile, mostly thanks to Jaune's near-limitless supply of Aura. I'm a little worried about them opening up again when she runs, but it seems like she's fine for the time being.

The crimson trees flash by as we sprint away, firing the occasional shot at the slowing crowd. Oh, and to think that this day started so well…

Eventually we lose our pursuers, taking a turn behind a convenient rock. Night falls quickly in the forest, and the hints of Remnant's lone satellite are starting to peek up above the treeline.

My eyes have trouble in the twilight, all colour being drained from my surroundings. More than once, I mistake trees and boulders for Grimm or people, only closer inspection proving to the contrary. The same goes for the others, but I can tell that Blake has no difficulty at all. Her beautiful eyes shine just a little in the darkness, almost like giving me a beacon to follow. I'm confused for a moment, but then I remember. Oh right, Faunus night vision…

I decide not to inform the others about it, given the current situation. In fact, I'm surprised that they're helping me rather than the other Westerners. Then I remember: Jaune's an outcast, and given Pyrrha's obvious crush on the blond (obvious to anyone but him, clearly), they would help me. Blake is a minority just like me, while being slightly less noticeable, and we're partners, so we stick together. Nora and I are childhood friends, despite her infuriatingly crazy antics, and Ruby would do anything for her teammates, so there's that. Yang clearly would go with her sister, but as for Weiss…no clue.

In fact, I can hear her complaining under her breath even as we walk, loud enough to ensure that all seven of us can hear her.

"…stupid mongrels. If they hadn't attacked, we'd never be in this mess!"

Considering her usual yelling and lectures, this is nothing. She seems to be taking this rather well, all in all. Maybe it's the fact that I'm at least a Human, rather than a part-animal monstrosity. Or maybe it's the fact that this is the most independent she can be, outside of her family's control.

"Why can't we just go tell Professor Goodwitch? She'd know what to do!"

…Or, perhaps it's the simple fact that we outnumber her, and therefore what we say goes or she risks having her legs broken. Either way, I'm glad that nobody here is overtly trying to kill me. Ah, well. Might as well *try* to deal with this delicately…

"Er…Weiss…You do realize that if we go back, those guys are probably going to try to kill us, right?"

Evidently she didn't hear me, continuing on in her irritatingly high voice. For a second I'm confronting with the image of an outraged llama, but I stifle the thought before I break out in laughter.

"Oh, I'm sure that Ms. Goodwitch wouldn't let any harm ever come to us!"

Blake delivers a response to such a childish line before I can, her voice calm and level, but there's a harshness behind the words that's uncharacteristic of her.

"Ms. Schnee, listen to me. If we go back, we die. It's as simple as that. Despite what she'd like us to think, Professor Goodwitch _cannot_ control forty-odd students baying for blood. And if she can't control them, then we can't survive them. I don't know about you, but I rather enjoy my terrible life. So stop complaining, and keep walking."

The white-haired girl complies, still muttering under her breath but noticeably cowed. Yang gives a little whistle of appreciation, and my partner returns with a little bow.

We keep walking through the darkened forest, the occasional howl of a Beowulf in the distance followed by weapons fire marring the quiet. There's no signs of non-Grimm wildlife, not surprisingly, the only constant being the trees. I think I heard a Phantom in the sky earlier, but it was pretty faint so I doubt it was close by. Goodwitch looking for us?

_Maybe the students stole it…_

I dismiss the thought out of hand. Goodwitch should be able to at least stop them, right?

We continue blazing a trail, the shattered moon lighting our way. Weiss keeps complaining, but I tune her out. I'm lost in thought, the words turning inside my rapidly spinning mind.

_How did this all go so wrong?_

* * *

**Third-Person POV**

"Headmaster. Goodwitch here. We…er…have a problem."

Headmaster Ozpin, of Beacon Academy, took a sip of coffee before depressing a button on his intercom.

"Ozpin here. Go ahead."

His secretary paused for a moment, as if hesitating.

"…We currently have forty-eight first-year students running around Forever Fall trying to kill each other, sir."

The Headmaster took another sip, glancing out of the window of his office. Far below Beacon Tower, multiple explosions blossomed and left enormous craters in the ground. Dust-based spells and small-arms fire left streaks across both his vision and his finely manicured lawn, though the statues dotting the campus were seemingly untouched. _Ah, the energy of youth._

"Congratulations. I suppose this unfortunate event occurred as a result of the recent attack on Menagerie?"

The Huntress's sigh was audible even a hundred kilometres away, blaring out of the intercom to echo throughout Ozpin's office.

"_Yes_, sir. Do you have any idea how to contain this?"

A winged figure, an avian Faunus from the looks of it, was knocked out of the air, slamming into the window directly behind the Headmaster and slowly sliding down it in a crude approximation of a dead bird. Said Faunus was followed a moment later by a dozen spears and javelins, along with a single human on a bladed hoverboard. Elsewhere, the gardens lit up with the steady pulse of laserfire, Valhallan-made coilguns answering back with ferrous-tungsten rounds.

"No, my dear. I do believe I do not. Do have them corralled and back on campus by this time tomorrow, Professor. It would not do to have them miss their classes, especially not introductory ones. Good luck. Beacon expects every staff to do their duty, and you are not exempt. Do run along."

And on that note, the bemused Headmaster closed the tenuous link between him and his frantic and astonished assistant. He picked up his mug, bringing his lips to its rim and tipping it backwards, yearning for the smooth taste of overcreamed caffeine. His mouth was met by nothing, and his eyes widened in surprise. He gazed about his room, ignoring the commotion happening just a few hundred feet below him.

A switch clicked in his mind as he put two and two together, and logically got five.

"Now…where is that intern with my fresh pot of coffee? I sent him out an hour ago…"

* * *

**Her**

…I cannot believe I'm forced to walk with this insufferable little _brat_! Living in the room across from her is one thing, watching her torment Yang is barely anything, but I swear listening to Weiss' incessant whining is going to drive me insane. What's making it worse is that everyone else is taking it in stride, as if this is a normal occurrence for her. I'm oh-so-very tempted to take out Gambol Shroud and shut her up for good, but thankfully I manage to restrain my itching fingers.

_Just a bit longer, Blake. And then…_what? What's my plan from here on out? Return to Beacon? Die in the forest? Live out the rest of my days as an outcast on the run?

Okay, perhaps I've been reading a tad too many books recently. In my defence, I quite enjoy stories with that premise. You know, boy-meets-girl, girl-turns-out-to-be-an-abhuman-killer, boy-still-loves-girl, girl-and-boy-go-on-the-run, intensely kinky sexytimes ensue. Especially the last one.

…Goddammit Blake. Actually, no. Goddammit, Ninjas of Love. Oh, my tainted mind rebels against the very thought! Of course, said tainted mind is immediately bribed back into submission by promises of rather _vivid_ descriptions of sensuality and romance, in that order.

My mind thus diverted, I nearly walk right into the turned back of my extremely desirable partner. Scratch that, I actually _do_ walk into his turned back. We end up sprawled on the forest floor, the leaves giving us a surprisingly soft landing. I blush, not like anyone can see. Ren's face is equally red, which gives me a sort of strange pleasure.

"Ahem…Are we disrupting something?"

And…shit. I get off of Ren, wondering how he managed to twist mid-fall so we were face-to-face. Then I distinctly remember giving a little twirl as we collapsed in a tangled confusion of limbs, and my face goes even redder. Curse you subconsciousness!

"Hmmph! If you two are done…fraternizing, can we please focus on GETTING OUT OF HERE?!"

…Leave it to the Ice Princess to ruin a moment. I stand up, my hands straying disturbingly close to Gambol Shroud as I do so. Of course, now I need to come up with a believable explanation for this…

"Sorry. I…tripped on a root. Nothing major."

The pointed stares of everybody else prove that they didn't buy the excuse, the only one convinced being one Ruby Rose. I visibly ignore them as I continue walking, my Faunus vision helping tremendously.

There's silence behind me, and I turn around in frustration.

"Look. Are you guys coming or no—What. Is. That."

I follow their gazes skywards, and am greeted by something that chills me to the bone. In hindsight, I shouldn't be surprised, but I was too preoccupied with surviving the incoming shitstorm to focus on astronomy. However, this one little 'distraction' is the one thing that I've been dreading.

Remnant's shattered moon still hung high in the night sky, but surrounded by a corona of blackness. Said blackness was not the normal darkness of the night sky, but rather the pure _absence_ of light, a hungry void that swallowed up all illumination. The moon proper, however, was glowing with a sickly, unnatural red.

"…Blood Moon."

* * *

Okay, for those who don't know what it is, a Blood Moon is essentially a partial solar eclipse. Ordinarily, there wouldn't be anything wrong with that, but here on Remnant things are never as they seem. To better explain the phenomenon, perhaps a brief history lesson is in order.

Around a hundred years ago, Remnant's moon was just a normal roughly spherical hunk of rock. Well, I wouldn't exactly say 'normal'. You see, the moon had an unusually high concentration of natural Dust deposits. Just under its soil, a fairly thick layer of red and black Dust resided. The people of Remnant had been aware of this for a long time, but previously we didn't have the capability to reach it. This all changed in 418 AD, after a fairly major Faunus rebellion.

The Faunus of that time period had kidnapped a team of Kay'Dyan and Valhallan scientists, putting them to work creating weapons for the rebellion. Harnessing the power of Dust, the greatest minds of their generation invented a form of engine that propelled payloads at extraordinarily high speeds. With the kind of deadly simple-mindedness that comes from desperation, the Faunus made a dozen of these rockets and placed the biggest Dust warhead that they could on the top of all of them.

Thessalonika, in Mistral, took the first one. Half the city was annihilated in just a few seconds, over three million people killed. The world's governments scrambled to find who was responsible, but the rebels weren't done yet. Verneas' Victoria was next. A city half a millennium old was wiped clean off the map, and Verneas swore revenge.

Another rocket was intercepted by Atlean Dustplanes just north of Albion, going down in a shower of debris after evading a hundred bullets. A final missile was tracked by Valian Hunters, but not before destroying a Xi'anese military outpost. The rebels were discovered somewhere on the Dragon Wings, in Vernean territory. After a pitched battle at Fort DuPont, the Third Faunus Insurrection was put down.

The eight remaining rockets were captured by various governments, their engines reverse-engineered and thankfully turned to peaceful purposes. The first rockets were only capable of reaching a few thousand feet into the sky, but gradually science made progress. In just five years, they achieved escape velocity.

On May 5th, 424, Humanity first set foot upon the moon. Vale was the first, but other nations soon followed. An extensive mining program was set up, and the Dust started flowing down to Remnant. For a while, it seemed as though we had finally achieved something.

But people are by nature warlike and terrible, and nothing good can ever last. The Great War started in 438 AD with the Atlean invasion of Verneas, and soon escalated to encompass the whole world. The weapons of the last Insurrection were dug out of the past, and Remnant was wreathed in fission-based fire. When everything died down, almost a billion people were gone, and fifty cities were destroyed.

The people had learned the dangers of letting one man have too much power, one that came at a highly visible cost. The moon, long a symbol of many, was shattered into a thousand pieces. The sheer volume of Dust-based missiles and spells had interacted poorly with the moon's crust, and a whole other world was irradiated.

The radiation dissipated over the course of a century, but its legacy remained. Once every ten years or so, the moon glowed red with unleashed Dust, and so too did Remnant. You see, apart from its rather amusing explosive properties, red Dust has the capability to repress the use of Aura. And when the air is positively laced with fallen red moon Dust…bad things happen. Say, for instance, the total loss of Aura for several weeks.

* * *

What better time to lose my Aura than when ten teams of Hunters-in-training are out seeking my blood?

I turn back to my temporary allies, face set and nerves steeled.

"There's no time to lose. Move. _Now._"

I lead by example, taking out my Scroll to check a compass heading before stalking away. The others follow after a hesitant moment, and we continue hiking through the forest of Forever Fall. As my feet fall against the ground, I start thinking of a plan.

We've got twenty days or more without our greatest defence, and we need somewhere to hide in safety during that time. I'm tempted to suggest Nagarroth, but…I generally enjoy having all of my money intact and on my person. Maybe Xi'An? No, we'd probably stand out far too much. I continue wondering, my future crumbling before my eyes to reveal yet more opportunities.

* * *

_Eight Hunters and Huntresses walk through a bloodred forest, lit crimson as a shattered ensanguined moon rises above them in the night sky. Elsewhere, armies march to slaughter, and a prophet is proved right. For there is no peace amongst the ruins, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter, and the laughter of thirsting gods. Ashen Jade arises from the darkness, lighting the way into a world of damnation and blood._

* * *

**A/N: So there you have it! Act 1 of Black Dragon is complete, even though I never really specified anything about acts. Honestly this is more for the sake of my own OCD than anything else, but it helps organize it all. Possible hiatus for a day or so, but I doubt it. Until next time, read, review, and ENJOY!**

**-Rafen**


	17. Act II: Blood Moon

**Black Dragon**

Act II:_ Blood Moon_

* * *

_Ashen Jade arises from the darkness, glowing with a spark of hope. But the darkness is all-consuming, and conspires to return hope to the void from whence it came. All that stands in the way are those who swear to defend life from those who swear to destroy it. We are nothing more but a single wilting candle in a sea of darkness, keeping aloft the light. Like moths to a flame, let the shadows burn themselves upon our souls. _

_Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The inferno grows, even as darkness moves to smother it in the cradle. For there is no such thing as inherent good, only those who try to repress their inner evil, and those who do not. The darkness lurks within us all, and it is _always_ hungry._

_So you may try to hold your head high. Continue to stand upon your pedestals of dominance, thinking yourself above the firestorm. For even the brightest lights die out and fade, and the grasping claws of the darkness yearn for the warmth of life. _

_One final shield against the coming darkness; One final sword, forged in defiance of fate. Let us be your legacy to the world you conquered, and your final gift to the people you failed. _

_But beware, for the burning flame is flickering, and soon all will be dust. Then there will be nothing but an eternity of bloodshed, and the void shall echo with the laughter of thirsting gods._

_Ashen Jade arises from the darkness, but how long can it hope to survive?_

* * *

**A/N: Act II will be started this Wednesday, possibly delayed to Saturday depending on my current workload. I'm actually working on an entry to the Writers of the Future contest, and I'm easily distracted, so I might 'accidentally' forget that I have to update until Tuesday night. Go figure :P  
**

**As always, read, review, and ENJOY!**

**-Rafen**


	18. Libertas Ante Veritas

**A/N: Hai. Sorry for the one-day hiatus, but I needed a bit of time to get my thoughts together. Ave Gloriosa in Nomine FanFiction! (Hail to the glory of the name of FanFiction!)**

**-Rafen**

* * *

**Black Dragon**

**Act II Chapter 1**

Chapter 13: _Libertas Ante Veritas_

* * *

"_There shall be no solution to this race problem until you, yourselves, strike the first blow for liberty." –Marcel Gavenney_

**Him**

…I wonder what Blake's lips taste like? They were so soft and warm, like her…Oh gods, and those beautiful amber eyes of hers. I'd like to just stare into them for the rest of my life…Oh, and for the record, while we were walking, I was definitely not staring at her supple, finely shaped rear. No, definitely not. …Gods help me, she's beautiful.

"Remnant to Ren, over. There's a train heading for Vale that should be passing by here in around ten minutes. We need to get out of the country, and there's an aerodrome about half an hour out from downtown. You there?"

Wha—? Oh. Blake's quiet voice shakes me out of my…ahem…_introspection_, and I try to figure out what she was saying. Something about a train and an aerodrome?

Jaune's face looks distinctly green at the thought, even in the red moonlight, and I remember the girls calling him 'Vomit Boy' earlier. Oh, this should be fun to watch. I give Blake a curt nod, making a mental note not to stand too close to our 'glorious leader' when on the plane.

"Right. I'll keep watch to make sure that we're not followed. Everyone else, get ready to jump. Blake, I'll keep you posted."

I unsling Ashen Jade from my back, holding it loosely in my hands as I survey the forest. We're in a clearing on the cliffside overlooking a railway line, trees at our backs and a sheer drop to the front. There's not much else of note, the Blood Moon giving the atmosphere an eerie tone. There's a loud howl somewhere in the woods, and I remember that Forever Fall is home to many deadly creatures. The bullpup assault rifle in my hands suddenly seems a lot less comforting, but I dispel the fear with a single look at my Faunus partner's lithe body.

I'd go to the ends of Remnant for her, Grimm or no Grimm. Of course, the description never mentioned half of the most heavily armed first year students hunting me down. Then again, given Blake's Faunus heritage, what they'd do to me pales in comparison to what horrors they would inflict upon her.

I bring my rifle up to my shoulder as I scan the treeline, determined to keep her safe for as long as she needs. Come Hel or high water…or in this scenario, come Blood Moon or swordpoint.

A train whistles in the distance, and I begin stalking back to where the others are resting. My rifle returns to my back, and I get ready for the jump. Without Aura, it's going to be much harder than usual. Actually, considering my whole fighting style generally consists of Aura assists, I'm starting to get doubts. I'm supposed to survive for half a month without my greatest defence? Oh, this should be fun.

As I approach, I see Jaune stand up in an uncharacteristic show of confidence. I guess getting shot at by about sixty people certainly gives you an interesting point of view on life.

"Alright, guys. We don't have our Auras on hand, so we're going to have to rely on other means to survive this jump. That means, once again, landing strategies."

I stifle a laugh as I recall Initiation, and Jaune's total lack of grace when it came to stopping his fall during said Initiation. He definitely had a guardian angel in Pyrrha, but with her help he's becoming better. Of course, he has missed out on a week of practice thanks to Cardin. Ah, well. With any luck the big bastard still hasn't gotten my arrow out of his shoulder yet.

The others are nodding in agreement, and it takes me a moment to realize that Jaune's looking directly at me. I dip my head hesitantly, and he gives me a small grin. Good to know he's got his bravado back, at least.

There's another whistle, closer this time, and I instinctively move closer to the edge. The blond takes it one step farther, stepping _off_ of the edge and dropping a few metres. Pyrrha lets out a little gasp, but his voice coming back to us from below makes her release a sigh of relief.

"It's fine; just try to keep both feet on the cliff. It's really quite shallow, so we can slide all the way down. C'mon!"

Blake follows immediately after him, flashing me a slight wink and mouthing 'race you' as she does so. The dull red of the Blood Moon disguises my blush, on the bright side, and I quickly drop down hot on her heels. Oh, it is _on._

I flail my arms wildly for a second, my stomach flying into my throat as I feel myself falling. Usually I'd use my Aura to slow my fall, but as the ground rushes up at me my mouth forms a wide 'O'.

My knees buckle as I impact the cliffside, and I nearly collapse in a heap. Not really a good idea considering the slope, but thankfully I manage to stay upright. I unsling Ashen Jade from my back, changing it to _Jian _form and leaping up into the air. The sword is flung underneath me as I land, my feet spread on the blade and arms out for balance.

Yep. While Ruby is the only one crazy enough to try to ride a Nevermore, and Jaune the only one willing to jump off a cliff without Aura, I'm the only person insane enough to _board_ down said cliff while trying to hit a _very_ precise point on a train moving a hundred kilometres per hour _before_ said train has even gotten within range yet. Let's just say that when you're expected to go die for the sake of your country and you've got a few days of training time alone in the mountains…you quickly get bored.

And as the Mistrallians say, 'When you're bored, board.' …Okay, so that's not really what they say. Sounds better than 'as I say', though.

The jet black hull of the train is fast approaching, but not as quickly as the cliff's end. Jaune is a little slower than me, and it looks like he and the others will make it. Blake and I are too far ahead, though. Oh, that's not good.

According to some, right before your life is threatened, images of your past rush quickly through your head. According to others, the life that we're currently living is that same life that is flashing through your head. They're both wrong. What is _really_ going through your head when your life is threatened is the following: _OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT!_

What's more, said words usually go through your head and out of your mouth, often in quite an embarrassingly high voice. As I know from experience.

Blake shoots me a weird look as we slide down the cliff, shouting something involving either shut up or jump, depending on whether that as a 'fuck' or a 'FUCK'.

Easy for her to say, she's got those legs of hers to help her make the jump. Those strong, shapely, long, supple legs that would look even better wrapped around my—_Dammit Ren! Now's not the time!_

The train gets closer, and Blake tenses herself for the jump. I fight my eyes away from her body as I think of a plan to get myself on the vehicle without becoming a smear on the metal.

Blake leaps, propelling herself high into the air. I'm about to just give up and die, when a certain red-themed girl flies high above me, propelled by her sniper scythe. That's it!

I reach down carefully and press a button on Ashen Jade's hilt, transforming it into its crossbow form before quickly loading an arrow into the groove. Nora soars past, and I take a single deep breath before taking a jump, my foot inside the trigger guard to drag the crossbow along with me.

_Now or never._ As I near the apex of my leap, I give the trigger a light kick. The crossbow kicks back with a vengeance, the recoil giving me a fairly strong nudge towards the train. It's not much, but it's enough.

Thankfully the bow's recoil isn't powerful enough to rip my leg straight out of its socket, especially since I don't have my Aura to protect me. As it is, I stick a perfect 3-point landing on a large flat-topped train car, rolling once to dispel the force of the fall and then ending in a crouch.

Nora's already standing up, recovering her hammer from the rather large crater she made in the metal. Pyrrha has her rifle at her shoulder, scanning left and right for any enemies. The sisters have landed back-to-back, currently complimenting each other on their landing skills. Jaune's frozen in a faceplant, his sword stuck in the surface and quivering violently. As for Blake and Weiss…no sign.

I recover from my crouch, changing Ashen Jade into its rifle form and slinging it back over my shoulder. The flatbed car that we're on is fairly large, spanning perhaps fifty metres or so in either direction. It's pretty narrow though, and I do my best to repress a shudder. A few seconds too early or too late, and…not pretty.

There's a few crates scattered around and lashed haphazardously to the surface, the car unadorned apart from that. There's a small symbol of an owl on the floor in the centre, surrounded by a stylized snowflake sigil.

Oh, fuck. Well at least that explains where Weiss is…

There's the muted sounds of a scuffle over to the rear, inside the next cargo car from the looks of it. I quickly grab my rifle and bring it up to eye level, taking very precise steps as I advance towards the noise. The others are following, with varying degrees of subtlety and wariness.

I catch Pyrrha's eye and flash her some kind of complicated hand signal that I once saw in an action movie, involving some furious hand-waving and gesturing. I'm not too sure what I meant exactly, but she seems to get the meaning and moves up. I shrug. If it means I get another layer of protection from whatever we're up against, I'm not complaining.

We keep walking, eventually surrounding the car's entrance in a loose hemicircle. If anything gets through that door, we can give it a second to identify itself before bombarding it with everything we've got. Well, at least, that's the plan.

What I've learned, sadly, is that no battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy, or for that matter five minutes when left on its own. The noises cease abruptly, and all six of us tense up. More than one safety is flicked off, and sights are brought up to the eye.

We stand there, waiting, waiting…

_And then the fucking wall explodes._

* * *

**Her**

It's funny how you never miss something until it's gone. Take freedom, for example. I was born into servitude with a locked Aura, something that was never unlocked when I was a child for fear of a servile insurrection. There are those Faunus that would feel resentment for that, but I honestly don't mind too terribly. If anyone should take the blame, it would be the Schnee Dust Company that 'employed' me, but only for not allowing children of slaves to choose a different life. Oh, for sure I despised the SDC for enslaving me, but it wasn't like I was in the mines or anything.

So perhaps this seems a little selfish, but I was just a little Faunus girl working shifts sorting Dust. Granted, some of the older workers had health problems due to Dust inhalation, but it didn't seem like such a big deal for me. Then the White Fang showed up and raided the factory where I was kept, freeing the slaves and torching the place. They made sure to let the human overseers out first, of course. They weren't monsters, not then at least.

They took me to see the Dust mines, and I saw firsthand the things that humans put us Faunus slaves through. This was quite a while after the last Great War, though the memories of it were still fairly fresh in the minds of many. Well, the humans at least. Any Faunus who fought for the Old Fang during that time were executed when they were caught, and the Office of Nagarrothi Intelligence was _very_ thorough when it came to us.

So young, impressionable me decided to join the White Fang, moved by their vision of equality and their message of peace. At first it was just peaceful rallies, protests, equal rights movements. I was at the forefront of every speech, every conference, always putting the priorities of the Faunus before my own.

Adam Taurus joined the Fang when I was thirteen, five years after I was freed from a life of slavery. Due to pressure from him and some other members of the organization, our leader was forced to sanction more violent missions. Those on their own weren't too bad. The occasional raid on factories like the one that freed me, sometimes robbing SDC vaults, or perhaps kidnapping prominent leaders of the anti-Faunus movement to hold for ransom. Even terrorists need funding, after all. During this time I was taken under the wing of Adam, becoming his protégé and being considered one of the elite members of the organization.

Eventually, this became too much even for our grizzled leader. In the span of a few years, the White Fang had transformed from a protest group that sometimes launched raids to a violent group that held the occasional rally. He stepped down after much debate and outrage from both sides of the spectrum, and someone else was nominated to take his place.

If you ever saw Rojo Sanguis, you'd never mistake him for the leader of a terrorist group. Apart from his striking red eyes that he kept hidden under jet black designer glasses, there was nothing conspicuous about him. He's five feet eleven inches, with dark brown hair and usually a hint of stubble around his chin. His Faunus heritage is only evident through a pair of vestigial bat wings, something that he keeps hidden underneath a loose blazer. All in all, a normal-seeming person who takes a position that you would least expect of him, much like the majority of the Fang's members.

He definitely lived up to his name, though, sending troops off to bloody rampages and suicide attacks. What's worse is that the majority of the Faunus agreed with him, with Fang membership rising to all-new heights. Any who openly dissented were violently silenced, often publicly.

Under his leadership, I undertook dozens of attacks on SDC facilities. Maybe he and Adam had decided to give me an opportunity for vengeance, to seek redress upon those who kept me in captivity. Perhaps it was just a happy coincidence, a window for me to unleash my supposedly-pent-up rage at my former tormentors. I don't know.

What I _do_ know, however, is that I bore no ill will towards the Schnees. Sure, they had taken from me a normal childhood, but it was one that I never had in the first place. Any chance of an ordinary life was taken away by my short stubby cat ears, to be replaced by an eternity of unhappiness. I saw no reason why the lives of SDC workers should be ended to satiate my sorrow, so I did my best to restrain myself and my partner.

For a while Adam allowed this, but I could sense the urge to _kill_ building up within him. Every mission he came a little closer to firing, a little closer to giving his sword a single little _twitch_ that would send a head rolling to the ground. This all came to a head when we were attacking a facility near Albion, in Atlas.

We'd landed nearby via a commandeered Valkyrie, proceeding to the factory on foot with a small squad of footsoldiers. We busted open the doors with breaching charges, sweeping aside the pitiful resistance put up by a contingent of AK-130 androids. There were only about twenty of them, and we took only one casualty to a stray bullet.

We strode into the main hall in triumph, firing a few shots into the ceiling before ordering all the humans and even some Faunus turncoats outside into the courtyard. We went around smashing equipment and setting fires, razing the building to the ground with explosives and leaving a few men behind to guard the prisoners.

When we got back to the courtyard, Adam and the rest of the men lined up atop of a pile of rubble in a crude imitation of a podium. I took my place behind and slightly beside my mentor, expecting a lecture of some sorts. Instead, my most horrible nightmares came true before my eyes.

As one, and before I could react, the White Fang troops levelled their guns at the crowd and opened fire. Hot lead cut through the assembled prisoners, leaving twitching bodies in their wake. They didn't even bother aiming, instead spraying irreverently and without care for collateral damage. When the dust died down, there was not one living being left in that courtyard save us.

I was horrified, but I knew I couldn't do anything. So we returned to base, and a month went by without a single mission. I spent all my time in my room, crying myself to sleep at night and spending the days in a near-drunken stupor.

When the call came, I was a worn-out husk of what I once was. Adam knocked roughly on my door, and I opened it with an empty look in my eyes. He didn't care, though. Maybe in his eyes I was just a student, or perhaps an object that could follow his commands.

We raided an SDC train convoy in Forever Fall, and I left him standing there in the wind. I came here to Beacon looking for a new life, and found it. What I didn't realize, however, is that the past never stays in the past.

* * *

"Blake? Are you unwell?"

The haughty, refined voice of the Schnee heiress filters through the air, dispelling my unpleasant memories.

"I'm fine, Weiss. Just fine."

My vision changes from a sight of the past to one of the present, taking in my surroundings. The two of us are inside a train car, a Valian military one from the dormant androids inside. I'm momentarily reminded of my final mission, but I brush the memory aside. I won't be haunted for the rest of my life by decisions that were not my own.

"If you say so. …Miss Belladonna, I don't suppose we can return to the others? I'm not entirely too comfortable with a train car filled with Valian Forces weaponry, thank you."

I fight back a sigh, instead turning towards the sole daughter of my former foe. No need to cause any undue suspicion, after all.

"Sorry, Miss Schnee. Let's go."

We turn back to the exit, our cursory inspection of the train complete. There didn't seem to be any visible threats, which was good enough for me. Now all we needed to do was to find some shelter for the night, and…

"Intruder. Identify yourself."

Oh, _fuck_.

* * *

**A/N: Voila, the first chapter of the second Act of Black Dragon! Man, that was a mouthful. Sorry for skipping a day of updating, but I needed some time to get my thoughts together. Plus, it was a hectic week. **

**Oh yeah, and that's my take on Blake's past. Apologies if that's not up to your standards, but everyone has their own ideas. **

**Shadic1978: These little Ashen Jade poems are of my own creation, but I'm flattered that they're of such quality that you think they are somebody else's work.**

**MorriganGoddessofCrows: Thanks for the review! I'll keep your advice in mind (you should make that into one of those 'Keep Calm and Carry On' posters).**

**ZecoreZecron: Thank you for your review and your offers of aid. I'll be sure to take you up on it next time I'm clueless.**

**Indecisive Bob: You sure about that? (PUNPUNPUN) Don't worry, I don't intend to make the war an all-encompassing thing, rather choosing to have it rage on in the background. This story's focus is on Ren and Blake, not on how screwed up Remnant is.**

**BTW, **_**Libertas Ante Veritas**_** means Freedom Before Truth. Just something interesting. **

**As always, read, review, and ENJOY!**

**-Rafen**


	19. Malleus ad Hereticus

**A/N: SO SORRY for the delay, but I kinda got distracted by Fire Emblem: Awakening over the break. Won't (hopefully) happen again. On another note, since Canadian exam season is coming up, my writing might be slowing down a bit as I study. I'll still update on Saturdays, but my Wednesday updates may occasionally be skipped. Sorry. Nonetheless, here's the next chapter. Read, review, and ENJOY!**

**-Rafen**

* * *

**Black Dragon**

**Act II Chapter 2**

Chapter 14: _Malleus ad Hereticus_

"_The greatest monsters are those that lurk within, as apposed to the benign horrors without." –Uriah Olanthire, __**Imperator Vicit**__, AD 103_

**Her**

Have you ever seen those really cheesy action movies? You know, the ones where the villains pop out of literally nowhere. Of course, you'd think that that sort of thing would never happen in real life. Well, it happens. Say for instance a pair of XV-88 Broadside Spider Droids dropping in from the roof, or a few dozen AK-130 androids suddenly activating.

Yeah. Not fun.

"Weiss! I'll hold them off. Run. Now!"

I draw Gambol Shroud from my back, not bothering to see if the heiress has followed my command. I tense my legs, ready to buy some time for the others to prepare. It's kind of my fault that we're in this mess, after all. They're all innocent here, with the exception of me.

The AK's move in first, front rank with swords out and the rear ranks firing with their machineguns. I quickly drop to the floor, bullets passing by me harmlessly as I thrust my katana upwards. A single android falls to the ground as I kick its body away, using another as a bullet shield to deflect a hail of lead.

Having sufficiently closed the distance, I use the cleaver sheath of my shroud to take out another pair of hostiles, severing their heads from their bodies while whipping the gunblade around to distract the rest. Another tries to get me from behind, but I manage to duck out of the way just in time. Its blades impale an afterimage, my own sword puncturing its sternum.

Thank Dust that Semblances still work with the Blood Moon and all, otherwise I'd probably never survive this fight. As it is, the targeting systems of the AK-130's are easily confused by my afterimages, and I manage to get hit after hit in without much reprisal.

A few kills later, and the calls of 'Intruder' are getting fainter and fainter, though that in itself is rather worrying. There's no cannon blasts coming my way, surprisingly, and I take a moment to look around the train car. Where did the Broadsides go?

A trio of Glyphs hanging mid-air answers my question, emitting ice-blue bolts that lance through the air to impact against an immobilized walking tank. A few AK's are caught in their path, three millimetres of dust-infused armour being torn apart like so much tissue paper.

I barely manage to duck below a pair of blood-red blades, spearing the offending android with Gambol Shroud while firing a few shots at its neighbour. The bullets spark and ricochet off of its armour, but it's enough of a distraction for me to backflip away for a momentary breather.

I raised my voice to be heard by the white-haired girl above the din of the androids, a bit of relief leaking in between the cracks in my façade of rage.

"Dammit Weiss! I told you to go get the others!"

The heiress ignores me, throwing Dust-based spells left and right in an attempt to stem the flow of androids. Rolling my eyes, I get back to work, slamming my sheath into yet another AK and sending it flying across the car.

The two of us fight separately but in tandem, with me fighting off the smaller humanoid robots and with her focusing her power on the Broadsides. I'm more skilled at taking out hordes of smaller enemies, with Weiss's Glyphs enabling her to penetrate the Spider Droids' thick plating.

An android behind me opens up with its machineguns, bullets whizzing past my head and body. I quickly duck aside, a small snowflake appearing to deflect much of the volley. I yell out my thanks to her, avoiding yet another fusillade of shots while returning fire with my pistol.

It takes us a minute or so to clear out the AK-130's, rendering them into so much expensive scrap metal littering the floor. A few blasts from the Broadsides flash by us, but their targeting systems are too inaccurate to effectively target us. However, with their allies destroyed, the spiders are free to engage us with impunity, raining shots all over without care for aim and charging forward to stamp us into oblivion.

I jump over a red-plated leg, landing in a shoulder roll and behind a small cargo container. Weiss lands a few metres away from me, fumbling with Mytrenaster in an attempt to restock its Dust cartridges. Well, it's nice to know that she hasn't abandoned me yet. Then again, she doesn't really know my past, so that's probably the reason why I don't have a rapier through my heart.

The two of us are cornered, the androids blocking the entrance we went through earlier. There's no way we can take them out on our own, though, not with their thick armour. For once, I'm starting to wish that I had Nora or Yang here. With them, we'd probably finish these tanks off in no time.

Wait…tanks? That's it!

"Weiss! Distract them for a moment, and get a fire spell ready!"

The girl gives me a questioning look, but I'm in no mood to answer.

"Just do it!"

I don't bother waiting for a reply, leaping out of cover and ducking below a stray blast of energy. The Broadside moves in for the kill, clumsily attempting to smash me into the ground with its legs. I manage to evade the questing limb, giving it a contemptuous slash with Gambol Shroud before I take off running again.

The second droid follows, firing randomly in a pitiful attempt to slow me down. I ignore it, changing directions only at the last moment to dodge a lucky shot. The blast impacts against the walls, sending sparks and poorly-secured crates flying everywhere.

Elsewhere, Weiss is busy throwing up Glyphs in an attempt to deflect shots and the occasional leg. Her rapier is flashing, sending stabs at the foe whenever possible. Thankfully for her, the androids begin to pursue me. I yell at her to stay back for a second, eying a few crates behind me.

A blast of energy narrowly misses me, and I grin. This should be easy _and _fun.

"Weiss! Fire spell, at the crates!"

She nods quickly, understanding what I plan to do. With that seal of approval, I leap away, leaving a shadow clone in my wake to distract the Broadsides.

A streak of crimson races past me as I run, impacting an…interesting…assortment of Dust crates stacked against the wall. The energy propellant is ignited, vaporizing both the robots and a large part of the train car. I barely make it to safety as it is, a fist-sized piece of shrapnel nearly impaling my shoulder.

I roll to a stop next to Weiss, blade sheathed and on my back. For a second she's silent, simply staring at the devastation she wrought. Then, she speaks.

"Well. That was, as Yang would so gracefully put it…a thing."

The train's speed eventually clears the smoke of its own accord, leaving a trail of soot and vaporized steel in its wake. The six other hunters-to-be slowly reappear, varying expressions of awe and/or confusion etched on their faces. I can hear Jaune trying and failing to whisper to Pyrrha, "_What the fuck just happened?_" Ren's mouth is agape, Ashen Jade in his hands but pointed at the ground.

I give him a smirk, my ears picking up a faint whistling noise from above. Given that the majority of the train car is a wreck held together only by sheer will, I should have thought this idea through a little better. Oh, well. Too late now.

Ruby's eyes, already wide open, seemingly get even bigger as she and her sister tilt their heads towards the sky. Given the poor lighting, it's rather difficult to see what's coming. The effects, on the other hand…

The others are staring at a point vaguely behind and above me, looks of understanding gradually dawning on their faces. Then their questions are answered, a muffled whine of rocket engines being cut off by a soft touchdown on the car's floor.

So yes, I called in my locker. …Well, not _only_ my locker.

"Hi. The school's security system isn't that hard to hack, you know. Given our circumstances, I took the liberty of launching all of your lockers, along with whatever it is you have stashed inside. The car's a little fragile, though, so watch your steps. Weiss and I have…taken care of the train's security detachment. Ren, come with me. We've already taken what little we need, so I think it's a good idea to find some shelter for the night."

* * *

**Him**

I follow Blake onto the next car, still a little dumbfounded as to how she somehow vaporized half a compartment, not to mention hack into every single one of our lockers. Then again, given her past with the White Fang, she's probably picked up a few tricks here and there.

I manage to fight my eyes away from her gently shaking rear to focus on whatever it is she's currently trying to say. Not that I mind staring at the rest of her, of course. Oh, far from it. In any case, what my partner has to say is most likely much more important, despite what certain parts of my body have to say about it.

"This train's moving too slowly. The Dust is far too volatile to be transported on a bullet train, but since most of it is in powder form it's not valuable enough to put inertial compensators with it. As such, we should be arriving in the Vale rail yard some time in the late morning. Feel free to look for some place soft to sleep."

Damn. Smart as a whip _and _sexy. I definitely know how to pick 'em. Oh, she's waiting for a reply.

"Er…right. On it. Should we be sleeping in any place in particular, perhaps?"

Real smooth, Ren. It's funny though: normally, I'm calm, cool, and collected, almost to the point of stoicism. Self-control is basically my way of life, with no emotions shown whatsoever. But when I'm with Blake, everything seems…different. It's like I can almost be a normal teenager, without worrying about being judged or punished for being too emotional.

It's different, but I like it.

At Lantern Academy back in Xi'An, inter-student relationships were actively discouraged. Not that there was much to do, anyways. As people capable of using our Auras offensively, we were effectively corralled inside the academy. The brass most definitely didn't want us running around Heun Gon or Shen-Sen.

Here in Beacon, on the other hand…I honestly doubt half the students have heard of the term 'self-control'. Which, to be honest, is rather refreshing.

The black-haired beauty in front of me just rolls her eyes, turning away and continuing to walk.

"Just find somewhere warm."

I swear her bow twitched again, but I'm not too willing to ask. I do enjoy having all of my extremities attached, after all. As it is I jog over to catch up, my burning lungs protesting with every step. Ugh. Must be all the Dust in the air.

"Blake, shouldn't we tell the others?"

"They'll be fine," she replies. "It's not like we're jumping off the train or anything. Eventually they'll show up."

"Until then," she continues with a somewhat sly tone, "We have the car all to ourselves."

She turns back as she says this, a smirk growing on her face. I start stammering, my face growing redder by the second.

"Uh…b-Blake? What exactly are you planning to do?"

My lovely partner rolls her eyes again, emitting an exasperated sigh.

"Relax, Ren. I'm not going to do anything drastic. That is…unless you want me to?"

In hindsight, I probably should have recognized her almost-hopeful tone. As it is, I let out my own internal sigh of relief. Despite my ogling, I'd rather take this slow. That is, assuming I have a chance in the first place.

"Great. On another note, I was wondering. When exactly are you planning to tell the others about your…you know?" At this I point to an area vaguely above my head, in lieu of actual cat ears or a little black bow.

"Oh. You mean my Faunus heritage, right?"

She wiggles her bow again, in a way that I consider actually pretty cute. And coupled with her stunning looks…_Dammit, Ren. Focus!_

"To be honest, I've been wondering too. Given Weiss's past and family…it might not be a good idea. She's probably mad enough about helping you, anyways. Xi'An is nominally on Menagerie's side in the war, right?"

Oh. Right. Now that I think about it…probably not the best time to break it to her.

"Anyways, it doesn't matter. We need somewhere to sleep, and a plan to get out of Vale. If Adam's willing to strike in Forever Fall again, he's not likely to stop there."

The others showed up a few minutes later, saying something about getting ambushed by another group of AK-130's. …Oops.

We eventually managed to curl up for the night inside a weapons car, a selection of V7-R rifles and even a few Mjolnirs keeping us company. Yang and Weiss somehow managed to snuggle up in a corner together, with Jaune and Pyrrha taking the opposite. Nora…was being Nora, of course. Ruby wrapped herself up in her cloak next to my old friend, as a matter of habit.

My antisocial nature taking the forefront, I suppose, I lean against a crate with Ashen Jade against the wall and StormFlower sheathed in my sleeves. Not exactly the softest of headrests, but still better than nothing.

Some time during the night though, Blake must have come over. Nothing else could explain me waking up to a bow in my face and an absolutely _adorable_ sleeping Faunus girl resting in my lap. …not that I'm complaining again, of course.

Waking up to Nora screaming in my ear isn't exactly…relaxing.

"Goooooooooood morning team RYSN! Oh, and ABRN!"

…Shit. I forgot that there are worse things in life than Nora, unlikely as that may seem. There's a reason we don't need an alarm, what with Ruby's whistling from across the hall every morning.

Though it seems as though her team is capable of dealing with it…

"Ruby. Are we there yet? No? Then let us sleep."

I'm not sure whether Weiss or Yang groaned that out, judging from the tangled bundle of yellow and white bunched up in the corner. Huh. Wonder how those two worked out.

"Wait. Why are we in a train car…?"

Said bundle of yellow and white begins to stir, a white-haired head rising above the mess.

Stage one: denial.

"…Oh gods. This can't be happening. Not to me."

Stage two, much to my distaste and almost-shame: anger.

"You! Ren, was it? This is all your fault!"

Stage three, curiously: bargaining.

"I can change this. I'm the heiress to the world's biggest Dust company. Maybe I can get myse—er, _us_ out of this mess."

Stage four: depression.

"We're all going to die. Even if we manage to get out of the kingdom, we'll be caught in the middle of another Great War. Not to mention the half-dozen teams trying to hunt us down as it is."

Stage five: acceptance.

"Dammit. No. There's got to be a way to fix this. Ren, I'm sorry. Blake…say your plan again, please. For the benefit of us all."

…Wow, that was fast, especially coming from Miss Schnee over here.

The blue-eyed heiress finally decides to turn her slightly less infuriated gaze on the girl snoozing lightly in my lap, a deep blush on my face. This could be…delicate.

"…Yeah. I think it'll be best if I explained it, rather than my partner here. The idea is that we just lay low for a while, waiting for this to die down. It's better than going back to Beacon and facing Cardin's wrath, in my opinion. Anyways, there's nothing guaranteeing that the Fang or someone else won't strike the academy, unlikely as it seems."

She looks thoughtful for a moment, her poise and grace ruined only by the blonde brawler attempting and failing to sit up next to her. I do my best to fight my eyes away from Yang's…generous…ness…so to speak, opening my mouth as another crazy idea pops into my head. Jaune beats me to the punch though, optimistic as ever.

"Unless, of course, there was a way to stop this whole mess. A way to convince both sides to stop fighting. Failing that, a way to end this quickly without much further bloodshed…"

"Exactly," I continue, "There's no reason for the Fang to hit the SDC quarry, right? Public outcry against the company, with respect Weiss, has forced them to liberate much of their…unorthodox workforce. Not to mention what they could need all this Dust for. There's Harassers and Vultures patrolling every inch of airspace; launching a Dust missile is out of the question. It'd get shot right out of the sky. Not to mention the fact that the retaliation against Menagerie would wipe the city clean off the map if it does hit. So there's got to be a better reason as to why they'd do it. Thoughts, Miss Schnee?"

Blake still isn't stirring, evidently exhausted from our escape last night. I don't blame her. It's a lot to take in, after all.

"I don't know," Weiss hesitantly says. "I still think that the Fang is purposely trying to start the war. They've expressly stated that their goal is the elimination of humanity. What better way to accomplish that than another Great War?"

"Even they must realize that a war would result in their annihilation, surely? They may be terrorists, but they are still people…" That's Pyrrha, finally fully awake and alert. And, judging by the deep red colouring her face, she just realized that she had snuggled up to our leader in her sleep. Well then…

Weiss looks like she's readying another indignant reply, but the train suddenly jolts to a stop. Blake is nearly knocked right off of me, only my quick grabbing of her arm stopping her from a rude awakening. As it is her beautiful amber orbs slowly blink open, still lightly glazed and her vision fuzzy.

I'm tempted to make a joke about her catnap, but I manage to stop myself. I'm more mature than that, and more importantly, I enjoy living. She stands up gradually, rubbing her eyes.

Jaune takes the initiative, putting one hand on his broadsword's hilt and moving towards the car door.

"Once more unto the breach, dear friends. Once more."

* * *

**A/N: Count the references. I threw in quite a bit in this chapter. First one to catch 5 of them gets a prize! (Or not. I'm poor. DKM.)**

**-Rafen**


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